Steve's hardest case
by WithBookandPen
Summary: The Five-0 team is at a dead end in a homicide case and needs information from the Navy. The person delivering is a surprise that will lead to major changes in Steve's life. He will have to face many emotions and realize that even an ex-Navy SEAL cannot control everything. But his team and friends, his Ohana, are there when they are needed.
1. Chapter 1

First of all: I started writing this story around the middle of the season 7. I followed the change in the team in season 8, just as Eddie now belongs to Steve's family. Only the restaurant storyline, which I found to be ridiculous, is completely off this story. The protagonists will certainly not get bored, even if they don't shoot and bang as often as on screen. But even law enforcement officers in Hawaii have a private life.

Enjoy reading.

This story is my own work and has been published first in German on fanfiktion-de. Please overlook little mistakes in grammar, as I'm no native speaker. :)

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"No chance, they won't give us anything." Danny shrugged.  
"What exactly didn't you understand on 'let me call them'? The man has been a Vice Admiral in the Navy, no wonder they don't talk to you", Steve said. "What was the name of the person you spoke to?"  
"Some Lieutenant Junior Grade Green. He said he would pass on my inquiry and someone would get in touch when the time came. Sounded like 'when it's heavy snowfall on Waikiki Beach'."  
"I can roughly imagine how this conversation went," groaned Steve. "And in the end, that's going to be the result of your 'diplomatic efforts'. So now we are doomed to go through the material we have for the thousandth time and to pray that we have missed something so far that will give us a new lead. I manage to keep the NCIS off our backs and you upset Norfolk. Congratulations." They sat with the team until midnight, but even then they were still as smart as before.

When Steve came to the headquarters the next afternoon after a court appointment, Danny caught him right behind the door. "I don't think we have to wait for snow."  
"What are you talking about garbage there?", he answered gruffly.  
"You have a visitor. There's someone from the Navy in your office."  
"And you leave him alone there ?!" He cursed. "Why didn't you call me?"  
"The medals on the uniform were really impressive. And I thought you were coming soon anyway", Danny justified behind him as he hurried to his office and opened the door.  
"Sir ..." He paused after the first word when he realized what has been not clearly visible from distance, in particular the person in the white navy uniform in his office was female and, moreover, equal-ranking to him. She stood at the side, turned her back on him and looked at the medals in the picture frame on the wall. She wore her brown hair in a tight knot at the back of the head in accordance with Navy regulations. Her headgear was on the edge of his desk. "Sorry, ma'am. I haven't been informed about your presence."  
"I've only been here for ten minutes. It's along way from Norfolk to Hawaii." She turned around.

He looked into bright brown eyes. He knew them. Could that be possible? For a moment, Steve was nearly frozen. "Sara? Sara Anderson? … Lieutenant Commander Anderson?", he finally said, looking at the name tag and badges on her uniform.  
"Everything correct, Steve", Sara confirmed, putting down her briefcase and taking a step towards him. "It's been a long time. Nice to see you". She held out her hand. He took it in greeting.  
"S... sorry I'm a little overwhelmed right now. Take a seat. Norfolk? Why are you here?"  
"Detective Williams has been a little rude to Lieutenant Green, but from what I've been told, I thought it was right to provide you with the information you requested. Rather, you in person, the Vice Admiral's file is subject to a certain level of confidentiality." She pulled a folder with a big stamp on the front out of her briefcase and held it out to him. Then she took a seat in the visitor's chair in front of his desk. He took the file, went around the table and dropped into his armchair. He put the folder on the table unopened and looked at her. He tried to catch an inconspicuous glimpse of her left hand, but as before, her sharp eye missed nothing.  
"I'm a widow", she said calmly.  
"Excuse me. I am terribly rude. I had just wondered briefly why your name is still Anderson. Although that is completely irrelevant. My condolences."  
"Not necessary. It was a long time ago and I was about to file for divorce when it happened. I reverted to my maiden name." She changed the subject seamlessly: "I cannot leave the file here for you, but I will stay on the island for as long as you need the information. I am also available if you need to know more or I can help."  
"The Vice Admiral seems to have something in his file that could be a motive for murder if you even have to guard the file. Do you already have an accommodation?"  
Sara shook her head. "I was assigned for a room at the base. They tried to find a hotel room so that I could be closer to your headquarters, but there is a festival on the island. Even with the Navy it was impossible to book something on such short notice."  
"I have a guest room. Of course, only if you want to. But that's definitely more convenient than on the base. I could cook ... "  
"I don't want to be a burden for you and your family ..."  
"There is nobody to whom you are a burden or who you could disturb."  
He felt her eye him up and down and he understood. They hadn't seen each other for more than fifteen years, after parting without a goodbye, overnight. Finally Sara nodded. "Thanks for the offer. But only..."  
"Don't worry. It's really okay. Come on, let's introduce you to my team." She took the file back, he held the door open and she followed him back to the group around the computer table. The conversation died when they arrived there. "Guys, this is Lieutenant Commander Sara Anderson, United States Navy. She's here to support us in the Ponders case. Sara, that's Officer Kono Kalakaua and Detective Lieutenant Chin Ho Kelly", Steve introduced the two on one side of the table, who were obviously local. "The man on the sofa is Jerry and this is my partner, whom you have already met. Detective Sergeant Danny Williams. Captain Grover, who is also part of the team, is on vacation."  
Sara shook hands, beckoned to Jerry, who worked his way up from the sofa, then nodded to the detective, who obviously didn't care about a handshake because he was standing in front of her with his arms crossed. Had he been overly friendly when she arrived, she'd noticed he was watching her conversation with Steve, and whatever he didn't like about it, his behavior had changed. Steve frowned, but she didn't let herself be provoked. "Thank you for welcoming me so kindly. I hope I can help you."  
"There's only way forward, we're hanging on the spot", Detective Kelly nodded.  
"For sure. But it works best when we are all fresh. Tomorrow morning we'll all have a clear head. Back here at eight. "  
Sara followed Steve outside, surprised. "Shouldn't we go straight to the Vice Admiral? It's a homicide case after all."  
"A few hours don't make a difference anymore, but you look like you could use a little sleep. How long have you been traveling?"  
"Sixteen hours, with stops in Dallas and San Diego. They sent me on from Coronado on a cargo plane in the lock seat."  
"Cozy is something different. Didn't you get a place in one of the shuttles? That would have been faster, wouldn't it?"  
"Tell me about it. It was just too short-noticed. No free space for Norfolk-San Diego. So I had to go commercial. Then the start in Dallas was delayed due to a big thunderstorm and I missed the connection. The next shuttle with a passenger plane would have left tomorrow."


	2. Chapter 2

When they passed the entrance guard, she picked up a small trolley case from him. After they left the building, he looked around.  
"Where's your car?"  
"I came by taxi. There was no rental car available that met my needs. Also too short-noticed."  
The phrasing irritated him, he didn't remember Sara as overly demanding, but he didn't comment on her. "Okay. My car is over there."  
She followed him to his vehicle, where he held the door open for her, as she seemed to be struggling with getting on the seat of the pickup before he steered onto the highway.

When they got to his house, he led her around. They were interrupted by a call to Sara, who suggested to exchange their cellphone numbers so they could contact each other at any time during her stay. While he was grilling a few steaks and making a salad, she settled in his guest room. When she stepped out onto the terrace where he had laid the table, she had exchanged her uniform for a t-shirt and soft, long trousers.  
It has already been obvious when she was still wearing work clothes, but now he noticed even more that Sara, who had been slim and trained at the time, had become skinny. She had loosened the hair bun, now the brown hair fell in waves over her back, which made her look even more delicate. Setting down the tray with the plates and the salad, he asked:"Isn't that too warm for you with these long trousers? First with the uniform and now this one?"  
"I am no longer a pretty look with shorts. I haven't worn a skirt to my uniform for years", Sara said without emotion.  
"Got wounded?"  
"No, car accident." She picked up her knife and fork and started eating.  
"If you don't want to talk about it, that's fine. I just want you to be comfortable. This situation feels a little... weird."  
"Mhm. Maybe later. For the time being, you can tell me why you are living in Hawaii again. Apparently for quite a while."  
"You read my file?", Steve made sure.  
"Cutouts. As I said, it's been a long flight. When Detective Williams said that he was working for a Steve McGarrett, I had to check who you were to decide if you'd get the information and how much. That's when I discovered that this McGarrett is you. This also explained why the NCIS is holding back. At least for the moment. Impressive career."  
"I can see from the ribbons on your uniform that you didn't sit on your hands, either."  
"That's probably true. Even if my career went a little different than I had planned."  
They ate in silence for a while. Finally Steve put the cutlery away and leaned back in his chair. "I wasn't expecting to see you again. Why, Sara?"  
"Why what?"  
"Why did you just disappear then? You told me you had an offer to go straight to Norfolk, to the IWC. And two days later you suddenly vanished."  
"I wrote to you. Multiple times. I was sent directly to a mission. I couldn't even relocate, fortunately I had already packed, they stored everything for me"  
"I never received a letter from you."

Sara looked at him incredulously with wide eyes."I don't believe that. I made at least ten attempts to contact you. The place I've been had some issues with phone and internet. At the time anyway."  
Steve shook his head slowly and clearly. "Nothing. No one. At some point I withdrew the request for a larger accommodation. I wanted to ask you if you want to move in with me." He saw Sara's hand shaking as she put the napkin down.  
She swallowed hard. "The assignment lasted six months. From there I was sent somewhere else. I haven't been to the States in over a year. I waited forever for an answer. I thought you might also be traveling somewhere in the world and would only get mail with a delay. After not hearing from you all the time, I thought you might have met someone else. Someone who is on site," she added, still visibly stunned. "That's why I wasn't looking for you when I ... had the opportunity."  
"I have. But much later. She was also Navy, we were together for a few years. I was about to ask her if she married me, but it shouldn't be."  
"I'm sorry," Sara said with a genuine tone.  
Steve stared at the sea for a moment, a few pictures of Catherine flew past his inner eye, then he turned back to her.  
"But you were married?"  
"Yes. About three years. On paper." That sounded strange, but Steve waited for her to explain it. Sara smiled little. "You're silence is still very eloquent. Robin also was in the military. Within these three years, more than one year one of us has been in action. Shortly after our second wedding anniversary, he and his unit were ambushed. "  
"Where?"  
"Iraq. He got lucky. A bullet in the leg and a few burns. Some of his comrades died. Physically, he recovered relatively soon." When she spoke again, the fear that had sparked her short break at Steve was confirmed. "He first developed feelings of guilt, then a PTSD. Like you can find in any textbook. It started with overreactions in stressful situations. Problems with too many people in a small space. He stopped using the elevator and stopped shopping. In the beginning he was given psychological care, which he broke off at some point. Without telling me. At that time I moved out of our bedroom. After the second attack in the middle of the night." Meanwhile Sara didn't look at him anymore, instead she stared at the sea, which was dark after sunset and glittered only on light crests. In the light of the two candles on the table he could barely see their facial features. She looked sad.  
"He had flashbacks", Steve remarked quietly.  
"Initially only while sleeping. Later also during the day. I tried several times to get him to start treatment again. At some point he started to ask me to separate from him so he could no longer endanger me. I resisted the idea for a long time, but at some point I went to get legal advice. The accident happened three weeks later."  
"Wait, accident like in 'car accident'? You were out together?", Steve made sure.  
"It was late in the evening. Robin picked me up from work, it was a long session. I hadn't really wanted him to drive, but that day he said he felt good, and that was my impression. The street was practically unlit. I was sitting in the passenger seat and - maybe you know this feeling - felt how his body tension changed. I spoke to him, but he didn't hear me."  
"I think I know what you mean. He had a flashback at the wheel? "  
"He drove faster and faster, then there was this turn in the road - and the slope. I was lucky there was another driver not far behind us who was watching the accident and notifying the rescue workers. I contracted a severe concussion and woke up in the hospital days later. With some broken bones and widowed. Robin broke his neck."


	3. Chapter 3

"Shit." Meanwhile Steve barely managed to stay seated anymore, he had to control himself to avoid jumping up. He leaned forward and put his chin on his hands. "How can you talk about it so calmly?"  
"That was eight years ago. And it wouldn't change anything if I was still upset about it. I would get upset if I started telling you how the insurance company treated me then. And my former CO. At that time my father was still alive, he helped me to settle things with the insurance. They claimed Robin wanted to commit suicide and refused to pay. My supervisor suggested me to retire. Being less than thirty years old, that wasn't an option. I made clear to him that even though my legs might no longer be usable, the Navy has always only been interested in my head and mind."  
"How badly were you hurt?" Steve asked. The image that formed in his mind's eye awakened horror.  
"Shall we now discuss all of the injuries we've suffered in the past few years, Steve? I'm sure you could add some to the conversation, Lieutenant Commander, US Navy SEALs." Her voice dripped with sarcasm.  
He understood it because she was right. He had sustained several wounds while working for the Navy and the job at Five-0 was anything but harmless. Various scars, including from his liver transplant, spoke a clear language. His doctor's latest bad news wasn't old either. Steve nodded.  
"I could. But now we're talking about you. Please."  
Sara sighed. "The car overturned several times during the fall, I was told, there were several hits on rocks. It mainly hit my legs. The doctors saved them in several surgerys, there is a titanium rod in my left lower leg. This has been used for such surgerys for a long time, with my kind of injury it was considered experimental. I learned to walk again with a long rehab and an iron will. Operations in combat areas were canceled after that, I'm not fast enough anymore, at least when it comes to running. I can still shoot quite well."  
"But you don't notice that. The thing about running, I mean."  
"One of the people who see me most often is my physiotherapist. Regular training for leg muscles and movements. At the beginning, the doctors thought that I should get used to life on wheels. The physiotherapist helped me teach them better. At least as far as running is concerned. In certain situations, however, it is too risky to rely on my feet, sometimes they spontaneously refuse to serve me. That's why I drive a car with hand control."  
"That's why you had problems getting a rental car."  
"Yes. Hawaii is very up to date in this aspect, but it was simply ... "  
"... too short noticed," added Steve.  
"Exactly. Now I'm stationed at Norfolk and I get requested by various authorities as an analyst."  
"What are you analyzing?"  
"People or data. Or both. That varies from job to job."  
"And that's how you worked your way up, Lieutenant Commander."  
"Mhm."

He watched Sara get up and walk barefoot towards the water. He followed her at a little distance and finally stopped next to her.  
"You picked a nice piece of earth, Steve," she said softly.  
"It wasn't my choice. My father built the house here. I came back after his murder and moved in here. The house was kind of a puzzle box to find traces of his murderer and a case related to it."  
"And you succeeded. I would like to go for a swim."  
"After the long flight, that's definitely good for you. Do you mind if I come with you?"  
"No. Turn around."  
"What?"  
"I didn't bring a bathing suit." With a smile, Steve turned his back on her. He heard some rustle, then a soft splash. "You can come." He took off his T-shirt and jeans and with a few steps he got next to her in the water.  
"Today there is hardly any swell. Only the water level is a little bit higher because of the full moon", he pointed to the huge white ball above them in the sky. It was so bright that he could see Sara's face. She pushed off easily and swam away. He did the same, holding back his speed to stay close to Sara.

They had swum quite a bit when he braked. "Shall we turn around now? We have to go back the route."  
"Yes, that's probably better. But you don't have to hold back because of me. I don't want you to be bored."  
"Slowing down a bit is very nice. Our destination is over there, next to the red and blue lights."  
"Thank you."  
Sara circled him and swam in the direction he pointed her. They were half way there when he stopped to look for Sara.  
"Sara ?!", he called to her when he didn't see her right away.  
"Here."  
He listened more closely, her swimming sound sounded ... unrhythmic. "Everything okay?"  
"I have a bloody cramp."  
"I'm coming." With a couple of powerful swims, he was with her and grabbed her arm. "I got you, hold on to my shoulder, I'll pull you to the bank." He pulled her closer so that she could hold on to him. Careful not to accidentally hit her, he headed for the bank. When they were close enough that Sara could stand but was still in the water up to her shoulders, he stopped. "Hold on tight to me. The left one? ", he assured himself when he noticed that she was leaning on her right leg.  
"Yes. That was stupid and unreasonable on my part. What...?"  
"You are neither stupid nor unreasonable. Just hold on." He supported her with one hand, and gently ran the other along her side until he reached her leg. He gently lifted it and began to stretch it slowly, loosening the still rock-hard muscles with gentle movements. He could clearly feel the scars. He heard her gritting her teeth. "It must hurt like hell, I know. It's going to get better." Steve continued until he heard Sara take a deep breath and felt her grip on his shoulder loosening up. He let go of her leg, whereupon she carefully tested it for stability. "Are you okay?"  
"Yes. I should have known better. Swim a little, yes, but to go for a such big lap after the long flight had to get sideways inevitably."  
He blamed himself when he tried to appease: "Didn't have to. The water is warm, it could just have been good for you. Can you wait here for a moment, I'll go in quickly and get you a towel, okay? "  
"Mhm. Thanks, Steve."  
"No problem. I'll be right back."  
He ran into the house, got towels, and hurried out again. "Sara?"  
"I'm still here."  
"I'll put things on the chair here. Are you getting along?"  
"Yes." Steve turned and listened until he heard Sara behind him. "I'm ready."  
He turned back to her. She had a towel wrapped around her hair and wrapped in the other. "Don't you dare to laugh", she scolded as she slowly padded towards the house.  
"I would never do that. Can you handle the stairs?", he asked, taking her clothes off the chair and carrying them after her. She didn't answer, even though Steve saw her struggle up the stairs until she got to the guest room door. He saw beads of sweat on her forehead as he held out her pants and shirt.  
"Here. - By the way, it is not a sign of weakness to accept help, Sara", he said quietly. "If you need something, you just have to call."  
"Good night, Steve."  
"Good night, Sara", he replied, while she was already sliding the door shut.


	4. Chapter 4

She must have been more exhausted than she had thought, it was after eight when Sara opened her eyes the next morning. Despite the time difference, she had slept so long. The house was quiet when she got dressed and went down the stairs. Instead of the uniform, she wore a dark pantsuit today. On the kitchen table she found a message from Steve, weighted down with a banana and - a car key.

'_Good Morning. I don't know what your breakfast habits are now, but the banana is a good place to start. Everything else is in the cabinets, just take what you like. Be careful if you want to go out on the terrace, the alarm system is on. The code is 56814. Come to headquarters when you're ready. The key is in the bowl on the side table. The car is at the door. See you later. Steve. '_

In the kitchen cabinet she discovered a pack of cereal, which she ate with the banana and milk from the fridge before gathering her things and leaving the house after careful locking. She stood in front of the garden gate and pressed the button on the car key, whereupon the lights on a silver Prius came on diagonally in front of her. Sara took a closer look at the car and noticed that it had exactly the equipment she needed. Shaking her head, she got in and started the navigation system. It showed 5-0-headquarters as destination.

At the entrance, she identified herself with her Navy ID and that day, she was not given an escort or visitor ID when she entered the building. When she opened the glass door to the department, she almost ran into a man she hadn't seen the previous day.  
"Excuse me, I wasn't paying attention."  
"No problem. You must be Sara, Kono told me about you. I am Adam, Kono's husband. "  
"Right. Sara Anderson. Is Steve here? "  
"In his office. Over there on the right. Do you want me to show you? "  
"Thank you, I already know the way."  
He said goodbye and went down the hall. She went in and found several team members gathered around the large computer desk in the middle and engrossed in a heated discussion.  
"Good Morning. Officer, gentlemen. "  
The team greeted her, while Steve came out of his office.  
"Good Morning. I didn't want to wake you. Are you feeling better?"  
"Yes, thank you. The leg has calmed down. Thanks for the car. I don't think I want to know how you did it. "  
He grinned mischievously. "Rather no. But I hope it fits. I tried to describe to them the problem as best as possible."  
"Absolutely. I checked the license plate twice to make sure you didn't fly in my own. Even if it would have been tight in time. I own the same model."  
"I know", Steve replied with a smile.  
"Are you discussing the Vice Admiral's case?" She said, pointing to the pictures on the screens.  
"Yes. Even if it's actually none of your business. You..."  
"Danny!" Steve interrupted the detective in a sharp tone.  
Sara raised her hand. "I can speak for myself. Detective, I see it this way: Vice Admiral Ponders has been dead for around six days now. You left NCIS behind, but now you and your colleagues are poking around in the fog. Otherwise you would not have 'asked' the Navy for these files", she said ironically, "and forced me to spend sixteen hours on several Uncle Sam Airlines planes, which are not nearly as comfortable as it may sound. Most of the file exceeds your security clearance, so it would be an advantage for you and your colleagues to share your thoughts and results so far, since I know the content and may be able to help you on the right track."  
The stout Hawaiian Steve had introduced with 'Jerry' grumbled something that she only barely understood, but was probably about the manners of Danny Williams and made her smile. He crossed his arms and grimaced. "Ma'am."  
She put her bag on the floor and looked at Steve, who had meanwhile crossed his arms in his usual thinking pose. "May I?"  
He pointed his hand at the monitors. "Be my guest. Kono, show her."  
Sara stepped around the table and in front of the monitors, where the forensic report and photos of the Vice Admiral's numerous injuries appeared. She felt the looks of the men behind her, but ignored them and looked at the pictures.

Steve watched Sara's actions with interest. He knew how systematic she had been at the academy, but he had never seen her doing real casework. She looked at the pictures closely before asking Kono to show more.  
"The suspect has been ... thorough. Am I correct that these are only injuries from a knife? "  
"Yes, there are no gunshot wounds on the body," Chin confirmed. "There's no evidence that a firearm was in the game at all."  
"Unusual in the United States," Jerry interjected before Chin said, "Ultimately, he died of blood loss and a heart attack."  
"Do you have photos of the crime scene?"  
With just a few taps from Kono, the picture changed. "The whole house looks like untouched. No signs of burglary, the front door was not locked. There was nowhere to be seen until you open the bedroom door. His daily help found him", she explained.  
"Okay. Show me the pictures of the house. Like I am walking in and showing around. "Kono followed the call. "More ... More ..." Again and again the pictures changed, Kono adapted Sara's rhythm quickly and she didn't have to ask her again every time. Next to him, Danny continued to grimace, but Steve didn't let himself be distracted.  
"Stop!", it came suddenly from Sara, which made him flinch. The bedroom with the murder victim was now on the monitor. The room on the photos was covered in blood, but Sara didn't even seem to notice. "Officer Ka ..."  
"Just Kono", she interrupted.  
"Kono, the right picture, enlargement of the detail at three o'clock." The picture changed, it now showed a side view of a chest of drawers with family photos. Blood splattered even here. "Do you have that from a different perspective?"  
"Wait." Kono tapped wildly on the table, then two more shots of the chest of drawers appeared, one on the side, one directly from the front.  
"Enlarge the long shot. The middle of the picture. "  
Kono followed the request. He saw Sara bow her head and rub two fingers over the bridge of her nose. He knew this gesture from her, she thought intensely.  
Danny burst out next to him. "Okay, and here we see the Ponders family photo gallery. His two children, his grandchildren. And a framed leaf. Very decorative. And that tells us exactly what?"  
Chin intervened. "According to forensics, it's red maple. Real red maple, pressed and preserved. The frame does not match the others on the chest of drawers, so we had it examined. No fingerprints at all. Not even from Ponders, which I find strange. The species is not native here. According to our information, there is no connection to Canada or Rhode Island, for both the leaf is a symbol. No connection to the eastern states, where the maple grows. At least no civil connection, what's in your files, I can not say. According to our information, he has lived on the island for fifteen years and has retired here. His wife died of cancer six years ago."  
Sara had apparently heard him, but a few moments passed until her posture was changing. "Red maple ... Red leaf ... Red Leaf!" She raised her head, went around the desk and took the file out of her pocket. She flipped through the pages for a moment, then swore that a few eyebrows shot up around her. Steve grinned. This was clearly Sara as he had known her before. Razor-sharp minds and the vocabulary of an old pirate which occasionally broke it's path through her good upbringing. The grin vanished when she looked at him.  
"Steve, do you have a secure line?"  
"Yes, in my office."  
"May I?"  
"For sure."  
She took the file and hurried to his office.  
"It looks like we might have a lead," said Kono dryly.  
"We have a lead," Danny mimicked her. "Am I correct that the Navy Jane, barely twenty-four hours on the island, is now taking over the shop? A fancy uniform and a few brown eyes and our Lieutenant Commander is pussing out, isn't it? I understood that you were of equal rank."  
"Danny, shut up. Otherwise, despite our years of friendship, it's possible you catch one."  
"What?!"  
"Lieutenant Commander Anderson is a highly decorated Navy officer and analyst with years of experience. She also knows the Vice Admiral's file. In this case, I therefore leave her in command, at least in part. You don't have to like that. But that doesn't mean you can be disrespectful to her. "  
"Are you defending her now because she's Navy or your old flame?", teased his partner.  
"A woman who deserves every respect." He gave Danny a sharp look, then watched Sara standing in his office, talking on the phone in an upright position, keeping an eye on them as the discussion continued around him. Finally she nodded, said something that looked like "Thank you, Sir" and came out of his office.


	5. Chapter 5

"May I ask whom you were talking to on the phone?", Danny asked snappily.  
"With the Secretary of Defense. Among others. Steve, there's no need to get physical towards your partner, I can fight my battles myself. The problem is in the legs. To answer your question, yes, we have a lead. And a case of unimagined dimensions."  
The renewed rebuke gave Steve an idea of what skills Sara could have acquired over the years. Lip reading seemed to be part of it, because she couldn't have understood them through the closed office door. The discussion continued around him.  
"The Secretary of Defense?" Danny repeated. "Is national security at risk? Is Homeland Security on the way?", he etched.  
"Not them, but in addition to the NCIS, the FBI is now reporting its responsibility. I was able to convince the minister, referring to the success of this team, that they would stay at home for the time being. They cause more trouble than they can help us. This is not a simple homicide case. Do we know the whereabouts of the Vice Admiral's children? "  
"His daughter lives here on the island, she is a nurse. His son flew in for the funeral with his wife and children", Steve answered. "What is this about?"  
"I'll explain it to you right away. The secretary has approved that I inform you." In the meantime she had reached the computer desk. It didn't react to her touch. "Can you please let me in?" She turned to Kono. Instead of an answer, an outline of a hand lit up. Sara put her hand on it, it blinked green, then a keyboard appeared. "Thank you." She typed, pulled out her cell phone, switched it to speaker, and put it on the edge of the table. A woman's voice answered. "Hi there?"  
"Ms Ponders?"  
"Yes?"  
"This is Lieutenant Commander Anderson, United States Navy. I'm in Hawaii to help investigate your father's death. Please give me your exact location."  
"Am I in danger?", asked the woman in surprise, then her father's daughter got through. "Hawaii Medical Center East, third floor, Department B. I'm in the locker room. My shift has just ended."  
"We can't say that for sure. Is there a room near you that you can lock yourself in? Shortly someone from the HPD will pick you up and take you to a safe place."  
"The laundry room. This is room 327."  
"OK. Go there, lock yourself in."  
"Roger that."  
Steve didn't wait for Sara's request, he pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and requested the HPD. He had two more units sent to the Hilton.  
"The son's family got down there," he explained, while Kono was already dialing Ponders junior's phone number and giving him the same instructions that Sara gave his sister. Then he saw Sara dial another number and a rough, older male voice answered.  
"Chief Petty Officer Barker, this is Lieutenant Commander Anderson, US Navy. I'm working on the Vice Admiral Ponders murder case. Where are you currently? "  
"I'm at home, ma'am. I am leg amputated and sitting in a wheelchair. Where should I go?"  
"In connection with the murder, I cannot currently rule out a danger to you. Someone from the HPD will come to pick you up soon. Until then, lock up and don't let anyone in."  
"Understood, ma'am. I might not have legs anymore, but I still have two hands and I'm not unarmed either. "  
"Be careful."  
"Aye."  
"Barker was part of Ponders' team, he's Hawaiian," she explained shortly after she ended the conversation. When Barker's pickup was arranged, Sara's cell phone beeped as soon as she put it down. "Well, finally." She pushed it onto the glass plate. "Yes, I know you are here and waiting. Without approval I was not allowed to inform you and I first had to ensure the safety of possible other target persons. This is not a simple homicide case. It is part of a chain of twelve murders across the United States. So far, however, no one had a clue that the common denominator lies in the military past of the murdered men, since family members have always been affected too. The investigations have so far been carried out locally. Murder investigations do not usually belong to my area of responsibility, so until the phone call, some things were not clear to me. It only rang a bell when I saw this leaf, I had roughly read the files on the flight. The connection is a mission led by the Vice Admiral. Operation Red Leaf took place in Colombia in July 1979. I don't know where the name came from. In any case, things went badly wrong." She transferred some pictures from her phone to the wall screens. They showed the smoking debris of an apartment building, guarded by masked soldiers.  
"Looks like it," growled Jerry.  
"Do you know anything about it?", Steve asked.  
"I'm hearing it for the first time."  
"Why should he know anything about a mission which is classified as top secret?"  
"Jerry knows a lot of things he shouldn't know about", McGarrett said dryly.  
Sara rolled her eyes. "I don't want to know more, I think. The lieutenant who was responsible for the launch miscalculated. At the time, there were no drones and digital targeting. The missile struck an apartment building sixty meters north of the intended target. The attack was carried out at night, and thirty-eight civilians died, the majority of whom were minors. There were no survivors in the house. The drug king who had been the target was arrested at his home three nights later. On the same street, a few doors down."  
"Was Ponders the one who miscalculated?", Kono asked.  
"No. The man committed suicide a few months later. The Vice Admiral's troops, he wasn't one at the time, were there. Two of them have been killed in action since then. How the perpetrator got the information about the members of the team is currently still unclear. The authorities on the mainland are now working on this. They suspect that he ... wrested them from his first victim."  
"Okay, and...?", asked Danny, this time without a snappy undertone.  
With a wave of her hand, Sara pushed another picture onto the wall. It looked like the crime scene shot from Ponders' house. Steve noticed that she was shifting her weight again and, without a word, pulled a chair from the wall and pushed it to her to the table. She gave him a quick look before before she gritted her teeth and sat down, then she continued speaking. "Lieutenant of the Reserve Clint Perkins. San Diego, California. He was the first victim just over three months ago. His wife and grandson were in the house. I will spare you the pictures. Two other members of the then team, as well as relatives of them, were also killed. In Mason, Texas and Petersburg, Illinois. Picture frames with preserved red maple leaves were found at all crime scenes. The perpetrator does not use a firearm or explosives, only works with the knife. With the same knife, to be exact. At seventy-six, the Vice Admiral was the oldest victim so far, the youngest has been four."  
"You assume that it is an act of revenge for this mission. But how is that supposed to work when all the residents of the house have died?", Steve asked.  
"'Everyone who was in the house at the time,' she said", Kono corrected.  
"Sara?"  
She nodded. "A boy, then eight, spent the night at his friend's house. His siblings, parents, grandparents, uncles, aunt and cousins died. He is the only one left of his family. They have wiped out his family, now he's destroying theirs. So far he has limited himself to those who lived or were present in the same house. "  
"I'm looking for people who have arrived on the island from Colombia or with a Colombian passport in the past few weeks", Chin said.  
"The last murder was on April 15th, four weeks ago. Look after it", Sara asked.  
Danny shrugged. "How should we have figured that out? And why is the Vice Admiral's file so top secret?"  
"Ever heard of something called image?", Kono asked back before Sara could answer. "That's right, isn't it? At that time, the Internet was not even a dream of the future, the matter was swept under the carpet. "  
"Yes. Even if that's only half the truth. It wasn't the Vice Admiral's first or last mission", Sara confirmed. "But the only one which went wrong so badly."  
"The Colombians don't seem to like Hawaii. Nothing to find", Chin said.  
When he asked "Who says he's still a Colombian?", Jerry caught everyone's attention. "Yes, think about it. Back then he was a child. His entire family is dead. He may have come to the orphanage and been adopted."  
"I'm expanding the search." Kono tapped the table. Sara also opened a keyboard and typed something with flying fingers. Danny had stepped in front of the monitors and had a closer look at the pictures. Steve went to his office to make a phone call. When he came back they had put two new pictures on the screen. A man in his forties, and another man, about half the age.  
"It seems to me that you are successful?"  
"Juan Pablo and Santiago Silvers. Father and son. Landed in Hawaii nine days ago, on a flight from Los Angeles. Juan Pablo was the boy who survived. He was adopted by a couple in Atlanta. Has American citizenship. Santiago is his son, he is divorced from his wife. They rented a boat and a car. No hotel room. The model of the car matches the tire marks in the driveway of the Admirals house. A pickup", Chin said.  
"They seem to feel safe renting a boat under their own name. Do you have a cell phone from one of them, can you locate them?", he asked Kono.  
"No, no cell phone. But the car has a GPS transmitter and drives east on the Pali Highway."  
Her words immediately put Steve into operational mode. "They are going to Kailua. Get HPD informed. They have to get Barker away as soon as possible. I get us a helicopter. Sara ... "  
"Yes, I know. I already said, combat zones are taboo. When you come back I'm here. "  
"Okay, let's go."


	6. Chapter 6

The room was empty within a minute. Only Jerry was still leaning against the wall and Sara was sitting at the computer desk. She took her cell phone from the plate and put it into her pocket. Then she typed for a moment until she had satellite images of Hawaii on the screen. It wasn't long before a helicopter came into view. It followed the Pali Highway.  
"You can do interesting things. There they are", said Jerry, who was pursuing on her work and coming closer.  
"I know. I just hope they are fast enough."  
"When Steve is at the wheel, I have no doubt about it. Something rings for you."  
Sara pulled out the phone. A message was displayed. She opened it.  
'Was planned differently. But just accept it. Steve.'  
"This man hasn't changed a bit since then. I don't want to know what he's done now." She shook her head and returned her attention to the screen. The helicopter was just before Kailua. She zoomed in closer so that they were able to see the whole scene.

She noticed how Jerry straightened up and looked at something behind her and felt the moment someone had entered the room. She turned. A soldier in camouflage suit, apparently Hawaiian, stood at the door.  
"Can I help you?"  
"Commander Anderson?"  
"Yes?"  
The man saluted. "Petty Officer Second Class Keahi. I've been instructed to pick you up, ma'am. "  
"Relax," she asked him. "Who gave you the order?"  
The man followed the command and replied, "Commander McGarrett."  
"I guess you won't tell me where to go?"  
"No, I'm just supposed to pick you up and take you there, ma'am."  
"Okay. You will have to wait a few minutes."  
"Aye, ma'am."  
When she turned her head, she saw on the monitor that the helicopter had landed and patrol cars were approaching the destination. They were able to watch the raid, one of the men apparently was fighting back. Then she received another message.  
'Father and son arrested, son hurt. Barker safe. Just go. Steve.'  
"I got it," she murmured. "Jerry, I have to go. Can you hold the fort here, please?"  
"Copy that."  
She deactivated satellite transmission and followed the petty officer to the Navy vehicle, which was parked next to her car in front of the house. The journey took less than ten minutes, then stopped in front of an unremarkable skyscraper on King Street.  
"This way, ma'am."  
The soldier seemed to know the way well, leading them through the foyer of the building directly to one of the elevators. While getting carried upstairs, she saw the sign next to the storey button. She read 'Oahu First Therapy'. Before she could comment on it, the doors opened again. A young woman in white trousers and a dark blue t-shirt with a name tag was leaning against a reception counter. When she saw her, she pushed away and came up to her.  
"Aloha. You must be Commander Anderson. I am Janice Kalua and I am entirely yours for the next two hours. "  
"Hello Janice. Just call me Sara. I guess, Steve McGarrett hired you? "  
"Indeed. He gave me a rough overview of your problems, but I need a few more details. "  
"You'll get everything. - PO2 Keahi, thank you for the ride. "  
"Ma'am. I have instructions to wait here for you and to take care of your luggage until you are done. "  
"Tell me about that. But unfortunately I have to keep this one with me", she explained, lifting the briefcase slightly. She nodded to him, then Janice led her down a corridor.

In the late afternoon Steve and Danny got back to headquarters. The offices were empty, only Jerry lounged on the sofa by the window and flipped through a comic.  
"Hey, Jerry."  
"Hey, boys. Great show. We watched you."  
"We?", asked Steve.  
"This Sara has some talents. We tapped a satellite and were able to watch you live."  
"Nice. And where is she now? Her rental car hasn't been in the parking lot."  
"The guy in the uniform brought her back. She waited a while, but since you weren't in sight, she told me to tell you she was going back to your house. She's kind of strange. But cool," he added when Steve looked at him sharply.  
"Then you should go and take care of your guest", it came from Danny.  
"You don't have to be so smug. She is just my guest. "  
"But you we're involved together."  
"We went to the academy together, man."  
"Alright. I do the reports. Just go", urged his partner again.  
Steve no longer resisted, said goodbye and ran to his car. As Jerry told him, Sara's rental car was parked in front of his house. He unlocked the front door and called for her.  
"Sara?"  
"Out here", she replied.  
He put his gun in the desk, then went outside to the terrace. On the way through the dining room, he noticed an aromatic scent that came from the kitchen and that seemed familiar to him.  
"Hey", he greeted her when he stepped outside and saw her sitting on the sun lounger. A tablet computer lay next to her and she was pulling her trouser legs down. He pulled up a chair. "That's no reason to be ashamed", he nodded towards her legs.  
"I save my surroundings from seeing as much as possible."  
"That is unnecessary."  
There was something dismissive in her eyes when she explained: "Change of subject. It looked like everything was going well. "  
"It was at pinpoint timing. Barker has been only two miles away when the Silvers' reached his house. We catched them right outside the front door, cursing, when they noticed that their target was not at home. The son has been a little bit hot-headed, he refused to put his gun down."  
"Then you 'helped' him."  
"I agree. Both refuse to testify, the FBI boys will pick them up tomorrow. They'll probably be taken to Texas, they made some inside deal."  
"And it's the only state they were active in, that still has the death penalty."  
"It is no longer in our hands."  
"I didn't say I sympathize with them. Who totures people, even small children ... "  
"They will never do it again", said Steve.  
"Indeed."  
A thought occurred to him. "Baked chicken. Now I remember where I know the scent from. But you didn't have to cook."  
"A small thank you for the car and the PT. Janice did great."  
"I am happy if it helped you. Janice has good hands, that's right. And you looked like you could use it this morning. "  
"Tell me about it. My therapist in Norfolk is at a close level, but if I had the chance I would take her with me. "  
"Why do you need a civilian therapist?", Steve asked confused.  
"Because I wasn't wounded on the job, but an accident with a traumatized soldier is the cause of my problems. The Navy wanted to stay out of it. After a lengthy lawsuit, they were sentenced to pay for everything I need because of the injuries caused by the accident. So car conversions, regular physiotherapy, a few minor adjustments in my house and so on. At first they wanted to get rid of me, but by now I have become too valuable to them. If I get other orders, the respective authority takes care of it. If I'm on the road longer, sometimes I even take Ken with me. The paperwork is annoying, but after eight years it works pretty well because everyone knows what it takes to get me. "  
"Darn it. Do not be angry with me, but I am glad it never got that far with me."  
"I'm not, it's true. The situation would then be compliant again. But Janice really helped me. Believe it or not, I've had almost no problems for ages. But this marathon flight, especially the last stage, really blew it away. This cramped sitting position is bad. She also advised me to wait a few more days before I fly back. And not at a stretch for God's sake. But that might get difficult because I simply cannot find a free hotel room."  
"Sara, stay as long as you want. In my guest room, I mean. You brought us the crucial hint to clear up the case, I definitely won't kick you. Have you ever been to Hawaii? "  
"Yes and no. I know almost every stone on the base, I've been there a few times, but I haven't seen anything else. Except from above, the landing is always an experience. "  
"Then this is the perfect opportunity. There is still a bunch of bureaucracy waiting for the Vice Admiral, but then I can take break and show you the island. "  
"Thank you. Both for the room and the offer. Is it okay if I do the kitchen work for this?"  
Steve smiled. "Of course. Where did you get the ingredients for the chicken from?"  
Now Sara smiled too. "After the PT, I kidnapped the petty officer who gave me the ride. He was a local, he showes me where to get good chicken and fresh spices. And while we were shopping I was able to persuade him not to end every sentence with ma'am", she grinned. "The chicken is prepared, it just has to go into the oven. I didn't know when you would be back."  
"Shall I put it in the oven? Then you can finish your work."  
"How do you think I worked?"  
Steve got up. "I know you. For a while, Sara. And think of my resume."  
"Okay. And I'm going to call Janice. She offered to keep me an appointment the day after tomorrow."  
"Good idea."  
They ate together, then Steve did the washing up before enjoying the sunset together on the terrace.


	7. Chapter 7

The next day they to separate cars to drive to headquarters. Sara helped Steve get the FBI files ready, then got her directions to a mall. She left for only an hour before parking her car next to the palace. When she stepped out onto the sidewalk from the parking lot, she heard a whir, then a slap in the side hit her and she landed in the bushes on the side of the road.  
"Such an idiot! Are you hurt? Can I help you?"  
A young, dark-haired girl appeared next to her.  
"I don't think so. If you could help me out, I would be grateful. I just have to sort myself." After she had maneuvered herself into a good starting position, the girl held out her hands and pulled her up. "Thank you. Thank you for your help."  
"No problem. These bike couriers are really dangerous. Can you handle it? I have to go."  
"Yes, thank you."  
"Goodbye."

The girl ran away and around the building. Sara slowly followed her. When she stepped through the glass doors of Five-0, the first thing she heard was a female voice.  
"You don't believe that, Dad, he just pushed her away and hissed off without even braking."  
Surprised, she recognized the girl who had helped her minutes earlier and now stood between Steve and Detective Williams, reporting indignantly. She went to them.  
"Hey, that's her. You here?"  
Sara smiled. "Looks like. I didn't expect to see you again so quickly."  
Steve looked from one to the other. "What do you say, Grace? This is the woman you helped up with? Sara, are you all right?"  
"Just a few scratches from these weird bushes in the parking lot below. And probably a bruise where he hit me. And before you ask: my bag and it's contents are still there. So your name is Grace, right?"  
Detective Williams cleared his throat. "Yes, that's Grace. My daughter Grace, to be precise."  
"I am pleased to meet you. I thanked you already. You have a very pretty daughter, Danny. And very helpful. "  
"Just like her mother."  
Steve interrupted: "Grace, did you see what kind of courier it was? The company or number?"  
"Both. The backpack was neon green with the HSH logo. High speed Honolulu. The number underneath was 41 or 47. It was hard to see, pretty beaten off. The driver had no helmet on and a shaved head. He just ... the lady ... "  
"Just Sara, Grace."  
The girl gave her a smile. "Shot past Sara and pushed her away. He didn't ring the bell or call or anything that could have make her step aside. And the way down there is really wide enough, a car can even pass through there."  
"Just a question, are we now responsible for freaky bike couriers? I don't remember this being part of my job description", Danny etched.  
"Who was it that almost had an accident recently because of exactly one such bike messenger, Danny?", Steve snapped. "I just make a call to the HPD, they'll take over."  
Sara tried to insert something to calm the mood, but was interrupted by her phone. She pulled the ringing device out of her pocket and answered.  
"Anderson."

Steve watched Sara take a few steps aside and listen to the caller. She said a few meaningless sentences before promising to call back.  
"Steve, may I borrow your office and phone for a moment, please?"  
"Sure, go ahead."  
She turned, went into his room and closed the door.  
Grace watched her go, then turned to her father. "Danno, why don't you like Sara? She's really nice. "  
"I am also very interested in the answer to this question, Danno. She didn't do anything to you, she only helped us on a case. And I know her from before. Where is your problem?"  
"The woman is fundamentally suspect to me."  
"Oh, yes? And why? Because she is an analyst? Because she's Navy? Because she has a higher security clearance than you?"  
"Simply because she has been with you for a while and now lives with you voluntarily, for example."  
"She lives with you, Uncle Steve?", Grace asked curiously.  
"Yes. And that says nothing. We used to be friends and she didn't get a hotel room because of the festival. The accommodations on the base are rather ... stingy, so I offered her my guest room. It's not the scandal your dad just wants to make of it." _Besides, that had never bothered him with Catherine, _Steve thought, but if he had said that at that moment, Danny would only have had something new to work over.  
"I'm not making a scandal, I'm just saying."  
Steve watched Grace glare at her father.  
"Dad, you're embarrassing."  
They continued to discuss until Sara suddenly stood next to them again. "May I ask if it's not getting boring? I will be leaving the island in four days, so we can just try to be civilized in the meantime, right? "  
"Danny?" Steve asked when there wasn't an answer. His partner just raised his hands, turned and went to his office.  
Grace shrugged. "He's can be quite stubborn, Sara. Sorry. "  
Sara smiled. "Don't worry. Take care. And thanks again."  
Grace followed her dad.  
"Four days?", Steve turned to Sara. "What happened to the extended stay? The call right now?"  
She sighed. "Yes. I have to be in Washington at the end of the week. So I have to fly out of here in time so that I can take enough breaks. Too bad, I would have loved to stay longer. To be honest, I went to buy a swimsuit."  
"Yes, that's a real shame. But, Sara ... "  
"Yes?"  
"Please don't disappear without a trace. I would like to keep in touch."  
"I think we'll manage that."  
They looked at each other for a moment, then Steve made a spontaneous decision. He took the days off until Sara's departure. They visited the island together, he showed her beaches and waterfalls, the national park and invited her to eat shrimp.

On the last day he took her to the airfield himself. "You seem to be more lucky this time," he pointed out through the window in the waiting room. There was a Navy passenger plane.  
"Yes and no. I sent Janice's report to Norfolk. It made it clear to them that if they send me on another trip like on my way here, I might have to attend meetings on crutches or in a wheelchair. That might have been a little over the top, if not much. However, the job I was asked for is a high priority, so they didn't want to take any chances. So they cleared a place for me in the shuttle. The plane goes to Coronado, I stay there for two days, have a session with the physiotherapist and then continue to Washington."  
"Sounds good. You probably won't tell me what you're doing there, will you?"  
Sara smiled knowingly and said nothing.  
"Now I know how my team feels when I make this face."  
A soldier in camouflage came up to them. "Commander. Commander, ma'am. We are ready to go. The others are already on board."  
"Thank you. - Steve."  
He hugged her.  
"Nice having seen you again. Get back well. We're gonna call, right?"  
"Certainly. Take care."  
Steve watched her walking towards the exit. He couldn't exactly define the feeling spreading in him, but he was also not ready to think about it more closely. It would take a few days to deal with what that reunion had triggered in him. He waited until she got in, the plane took off and finally disappeared on the horizon. Then he drove home.

xxxxxxxxx


	8. Chapter 8

"Steve, I can't bear it anymore. Call her."  
"What?"  
"Don't 'what'. Call her."  
Steve glanced at his partner in the passenger seat. "What are you talking about? Whom should I call? "  
"Your aneurysm face. I can't see it anymore. This has been running continuously since Sunday. So make the damned call."  
"If 'she' means Sara, she is working. In D.C. No way to call her now."  
Danny growled. "Have you checked your watch? Has our Mister Navy-SEAL ever heard of a time difference? It's 2 p.m. here. That means it is now . on the east coast. So there's a high chance she just doesn't work anymore."  
With a growl as good as Danny's, he looked for Sara's number in his phone and dialed. After the second ring, he got cut off the line. "There you see? She's working."  
"No, I only see she doesn't answer the phone. Maybe she's on a date right now?", Danny etched.  
At that moment an SMS arrived. Steve pulled over and picked up his phone. 'Sorry, still in meeting. Gonna call back later. Sara.' He showed the message to Danny. "Here. So much for your indecent imagination. They'll probably sit forever, it's Memorial Day weekend. They want their break for the rest of the three days. "

In the boardroom, Sara slipped her phone back into her pocket and turned her attention back to the conversation. She was an observer in the contract negotiations with the Japanese. The matter had been dragging on for hours as several interpreters were involved. The foreign guests were difficult to read, but it wasn't the first time that she was dealing with Asians, so she knew how to pay attention to the often minimal gestures and changes in facial expressions. She suppressed a yawn.  
She had to persevere three more hours, then the contracting parties had agreed the Japanese would now submit the draft to the authorities in their home country. It took another half an hour, then all the courtesies had been done and she went back to the hotel. While she did a few laps through the swimming pool, room service served a small snack. After eating, she checked the time and dialed Steve's number.  
"McGarrett."  
"Hello Steve. I'm sorry I couldn't answer the phone before. It's been a little inconvenient."  
"No problem. Got pretty late, right?"  
"I have to admit, I went for a short swim after the meeting, after a whole day sitting around, I had to. And I had some little dinner. There was a snack, but I'm no big fan of Sushi."  
"The main thing is that you are fine now. Where do you stay? Or are you not allowed to say that?"  
Sara laughed. "It is not a secret. Courtyard by Marriott. One block north of the FBI."  
"So right in the middle of the action."  
"Yes. When I'm in D.C. I always stay here. There's a pool, room service, decent breakfast, and rooms without carpets. They are very responsive to me, I don't have to argue when I need anything. And I am close to all important institutions", said Sara.  
"Sounds good."  
"It is. Why did you call? - Steve?", she asked again after not getting an answer.  
"I ... Danny said I had been walking around with an aneurysm face for days ..."  
Sara burst out laughing. "With a what?!"  
"He calls it an aneurysm face. I don't know what it looks like. Maybe I'm just in a bad mood. You know ... I liked the days with you. I haven't been around the island just for fun for ages. Enjoying the sun and the wind. With you I rediscovered a few places where I haven't been since I was a child. If someone had told me two weeks ago you would be coming and we would get along so well straight away, I would have declared him to be insane."  
"Thank you, Steve," Sara replied dryly.  
"No, no, that's not what I meant."  
She kept him in suspense for a moment, then laughed. "Relax. In my wildest dreams, I would never have thought we would meet again. And I had a nice time, too. The occasion could have been nicer, okay. But you could change the occasion part."  
"Does that mean you could imagine that we'll meet each other again?" He sounded kind of ... hopeful, Sara observed.  
"Why not? However ...To be honest ... "  
"Sure, always," Steve interrupted.  
"To be honest, maybe not in Hawaii. The island is beautiful, no question, but the flight from the east coast ... "  
"... is a pain for you. I understand that. We could meet halfway. In Coronado or LA. Or I'm coming to Norfolk. There are many options. We just have to coordinate the work."  
"That should also be possible. I expect to be home in the near future. I've been traveling a lot in the past few weeks, I need a break." Sara suppressed a yawn.  
"You are tired. It's almost midnight at the east coast. We can call the next few days. I'm looking forward to it. It's been nice to hear your voice, Sara."  
"Likewise. I don't need to wish you good night yet. But have a nice evening. "  
"Thank you. But good night to you. "

XXXXXXXX


	9. Chapter 9

A brief knock on her office door tore Sara out of her reading. She closed the file. "Come in"  
Lieutenant Green opened the door. "The plane is on final approach, Ma'am."  
She glanced at the clock that showed half past five. "Thank you, Lieutenant. But you shouldn't have had to home."  
"Aye, Ma'am", her assistant confirmed and closed the door. She packed up her things. When she left her room, the outer office was already empty. She locked it carefully, then left the building and got into her car to drive to the passenger terminal at the airfield. Once again, she damned the road that forced her to circle half the base to get to the terminal. Most of the flights went from Oceana Airfield east of the city, but the flight she was waiting for arrived at this base.

"Hey, Commander Sara. I didn't expect you today. I have no registration for you to come. And with your car?"  
Sara greeted the elderly civil servant, who was keeping an eye on the parking lot in front of the terminal. "Hello, Alfred. Yes, I'm not flying away, I'm picking up someone. Has Coronado landed yet? "  
"No, ma'am. I think that's this one." He could only shout the last sentence, the noise of a landing plane drowned out everything. She waved to the man in response and ran into the building. In fact, a machine rolled out on the apron shortly afterwards. The plane was clearly full, so it took a while for her to spot Steve. Carrying a small travel bag, he looked around as he reached the bottom of the gangway. Then he found her, his face brightened and he came up to her. When he stopped in front of her, he dropped the bag and hugged her.  
"Hi, Sara. Nice to see you."  
"Welcome to the east coast. And almost on time. Just half an hour late."  
"They didn't let me behind the wheel, otherwise we would have been there long ago," grinned Steve.  
"Tell me about it. Well, it's not easy as a reservist. Come on, car is outside." He took his bag and followed her through the other passengers to the parking lot.  
"It really looks the same," he said.  
"I told you. Not for long, however. My new one will soon be delivered with a new operating system. I'm really looking forward to see how it will work in everyday life, I've been testing it for a few hours. This one has been around for a few years and quite a few kilometers. You're on the wrong side, by the way, Commander." She laughed when his face turned bright red. "This is my car. And even if I'm sure you can drive everything that has at least two wheels or runs on chains, I don't know that you can handle hand control. Apart from the fact that the car has no insurance for alternative drivers. So would you mind? You will survive, I promise."

With a skeptical expression on his face, Steve circled the car, threw his bag in the back seat, and got in on the passenger side. Sara didn't smile, instead she started the engine, waved to Alfred and steered the car onto Patrol Road. Coming home required a detour similar to how to get there. As she turned into her street, Steve said, "If I'm not completely wrong, we are about halfway between Norfolk Base and Little Creek."  
"Nearly. The latter is even closer. Since I work regularly at both bases, even if my office is on Norfolk Base, this is very practical. It is also not far to Oceana and the civil airport. But the noise is bearable. We'll be right there."  
Sara glanced at Steve, who was watching the area carefully. After about twenty minutes, Sara turned into the driveway to her house. "You see, you survived the ride. And I didn't have to stop to see you running behind a bush."  
"Who said anything like that?" Steve asked indignantly.  
"Detective Williams had hinted at something like that."  
"Well, he should leave the island when I get back. You live here?, he asked skeptically as they got out.  
"Yes. Why?"  
He shrugged his shoulders. "I had imagined it differently somehow. Not so ... simple," he pointed to the one-story brick building. She followed his gaze as he looked around. The surrounding buildings were one or two floors, the construction was the same. The American flag flew in many of the neighboring gardens. The path from the carport to the entrance was lined with flowers in her garden. Tall bushes grew under the high windows on the front.  
"What did you expect? Fifty rooms, pillars at the entrance and twenty employees? I'm sorry to disappoint you. My mother had no say here. There is a cleaning lady for floors, windows and such, and a gardening service. Half of it is due to lack of time and the other is due to my safety. None of us wants to see me cleaning windows on a ladder."  
"Definitely." With eyebrows raised, he eyed the concrete ramp that led up the step on the entrance and the wide front door. "How long do you live here?"  
"Because of the equipment? Since the accident and as it was clear I would work here at the base. When I moved in, I was able to walk to some extent, but I was still using a wheelchair. I kept the ramp because I found it practical, a few other things are gone. Come in", she asked him and went to the front door. "Are you hungry? Or maybe you want to go for a swim after the long flight?"  
"Swim?"  
"Yes, come with me." She led him across the house and onto the terrace, where he put his bag down in surprise. "You have a pool?"  
"Indeed. Swimming is part of my daily routine. In the summer months here, when it gets too cold, at the rehab center in Little Creek. And thank you for calling it that."  
"The pool? What else should I call that?" He pointed to the pool, which with around three by ten meters took up the entire rear third of the garden.  
"Jason always calls it my paddle pond."  
"Who's Jason?"  
"Hey Sara, are you showing your boyfriend your paddle pond?", she heard it echo across the hedge along with Steve's question.  
"This is Jason," she explained, pointing to the head of a boy who was visible above the bushes. "The boy is one of my neighbors, he is nine. His dad is in Afghanistan right now. He's a pilot." Then she turned to the boy. "Jason, this is Steve. And he realized that this is a _pool_. Where's your mom?"  
"Shopping."  
"Aha. And as I know her, she told you to do your homework until she's back. Right?"Jason's face spoke volumes. Sara stifled a laugh. "So then, recruit." The boy saluted properly, replied "Aye, ma'am", then the head disappeared. When he was out of sight, Steve laughed: "That kiddo is funny."  
"Oh, yes. When he was younger, I used to baby-sit over there. On his last birthday he and his friends captured my 'paddle pond'. Now, what about a swim?"  
"I am happy to accept the offer."  
"Let's go. Towels are in the wooden box next to the steps. But be careful, no jumps. The pool is only one meter fifty deep. That's why he calls it paddle pond."  
"Aye, ma'am," Steve mimicked the boy, then laughed, pulled his shirt over his head, and ran to the pool. When he started to turn rounds, Sara breathed a sigh of relief. The last hour had been somehow forced. She went back inside and started making some sandwiches.

When Steve got out of the pool and took a towel, Sara was just putting two plates on the table on the terrace. She had exchanged the uniform for the casual look he already knew. He used the shower next to the stairs before drying off and putting his shirt back on. When he reached the terrace, she came out of the house with some glasses.  
"I know, according to your calendar, it's only a little after noon. I made sandwiches for us."  
"You know, the nice thing about spending time in the military is that you learn to eat or sleep at any time when the opportunity arises. That has held up, even if I am now ... something like settled down. I rarely have problems with jet lag. Is that tuna?"  
"Mhm."  
"Nice. I like tuna. "  
Sara smiled almost relieved. "The other one is turkey with a salad. What you want to drink? Coke, beer? "  
"A coke would be fine."  
"Coming right up." Before he could protest, she got a bottle. Their meal was silent.  
"You made yourself nice here," remarked Steve when he finished eating. He looked from the pool to the flower beds in front of the hedges on the side of the property.  
"It's my home. I can relax here after work and after assignments."  
"That's nice. For me it is now similar in my parents' house. In the beginning it was extremely difficult for me."  
"Understandable. For me it's the other way around. I wouldn't have a relaxed minute in my parents' house."  
Steve couldn't think of a suitable comment. There was simply none. So he asked, "Can I help you clear up?"  
"Thanks, that would be nice." He followed her back into the house and now had a first opportunity for a closer look around after they just walked through on arrival. The front door was opposite the patio door. There was a small hallway. The kitchen was not large either, but it was equipped with everything necessary. The apparently largest room in the house was the living room. Much of the wall was covered with well-stocked bookshelves. That might have been depressing, but the construction was made of light wood so it didn't look that heavy. The room had a large glass front towards the garden. There was a television in one corner. There was no dining table, but the open kitchen was separated by a counter with two chairs. The middle of the room was dominated by a wide sofa, but there was enough space everywhere to walk through without bumping into something.  
"You can take everything you want at any time," she offered him. "I told you I don't have a guest room, but you the sofa is a convertible and I've been assured you can sleep on it as well as sit you sit. Come on, I'll show you the rest of the house." She led him down a small hallway. "Here are the toilet and the bathroom." Sara opened a door. The room was spacious, with a bathtub and a walk-in shower. Again, one would have no problem getting around on wheels. "Towels are in the closet on the right. And here is the bedroom." This room also matched the rest of the house. Light wood, a large bed, a glass door to the garden and sufficient freedom of movement. He saw a small stack of books on the bedside table. "One at a time is not enough?" He laughed.  
"Sometimes it's hard to decide. It also depends on the mood of the day."  
He let her go first when they went back to the living room. On the way to the patio, he stopped in front of a recess in the bookshelf. Some boards were left out, instead several photos hung there. On the top there was a picture of Sara's father, laughing, in a casual look. In the middle a shot of the graduation ceremony in Annapolis, Sara, in uniform, between her father and her brother. He knew both of them, they met on a visit while Sara was studying. A shot of a laughing little girl with a tooth gap followed. The last picture showed two men, one of them Sara's brother, the other holding a baby in his arms. "How's Patrick doing? Is that his daughter? Looks cute." As an answer didn't come right away, he turned to her.


	10. Chapter 10

He saw sadness on Sara's face. "Did I say something wrong?"  
"What? No. Let's go outside."  
"Okay."  
As she passed, she took the picture of the two men and the baby off the wall.  
"This is Zoe," she explained when they sat down again. She pushed the picture frame towards him. "She is Patrick and Liam's daughter. Yes, you heard right. My brother was gay. The two of them adopted her, that's possible in New Jersey. "  
"Why should I have a problem with that? Wait, he _was_?", Steve interjected.  
"Yes. Patrick is dead, Liam is raising Zoe alone. This is the last picture of the three together. "  
"What happened?"  
"Car accident, on Thanksgiving, the year I had the accident. Seven months later. He got off the road on a wet, leafy road and crashed into a tree. In Columbia, on the way to the airport. It was a hard blow for Dad and me. "

Steve noted that she didn't mention her mother. Obviously nothing had changed in their bad relationship. It also fit that she was missing in her small picture gallery. "I'm sorry. This must have been hard."  
"It was. Dad was very bad after that. He mostly retired from professional life, mainly devoted to arguments with Robins insurance and the Navy. And he often visited Liam and Zoe. The following year he suffered a severe stroke, he died of the consequences of it,"reported Sara with a sad look on her face.  
Steve felt great compassion. Sara had lost her husband, brother, and father within eighteen months. In addition, her own life had been completely ripped off the track. "I read about it. You miss him? "  
"I miss both. Dad was always a backing for me, but especially after the accident. He dealt with the insurance company, sued the Navy, took care of the house here. Always cheered me on when I was struggling with rehab. Patrick designed and built the shelves in the living room. It was him who, together with the rehabilitation consultant, implemented various tricks to make my life easier here. His husband Liam is an architect and designed the swimming pool. He used to be in a big company, but after being alone with Zoe, he slowed down to have more time for her. "  
"She seems to be a funny girl."  
"She is."  
"Zoe reminds me of Joanie," Steve changed the subject, also to distract Sara a little.  
"Who is Joanie?"  
"My niece. She is a little younger than Zoe. Mary adopted her as a baby a few years ago. At first I thought she had gone crazy and she would never be able to do it, but Mary really surprised us all. She is a great mother. Wait." He took his cell phone out of his pocket and searched for one of the last videos his sister had sent him. When he found it, he started playback and held the device out to Sara. Her laugh pleased him and was infectious.  
"The little one is really hugging. Her name is Joan?"  
"Yes. Mary named her after our father. "  
"How nice. Do you have any more videos? "  
Steve laughed. "Dozens." Sara let him tell funny stories about Mary and Joan until they came up with anecdotes from their active Navy life. It turned out that, although at different times, they had been to the same locations several times. At around half past eleven, by now Sara had brought a bottle of wine and a few crackers on the table, Steve noticed that she could hardly suppress yawning. "You look really tired. Go to sleep. You don't have to stay up until morning because of me."  
"Are you sure that's okay?"  
"Absolutely. There are enough books in your house, I will surely find something to read. Just show me where I can find pillow and blanket, then you can get ready while I build my bed."  
Sara got up slowly. "In the bed box in the sofa. It's all freshly made." She reached for the glasses.  
"Just let me do it."  
She looked at him gratefully. "Just put everything in the kitchen." When they were both in the house, she closed the patio door and showed him where the alarm system was and the code. Then she went to the bathroom. By the time she returned, in a long t-shirt and shorts, he had already pulled out the sofa and made up a bed. He had brought the photo in and hung it back in its place. "If you need anything else, just take it. Good night, Steve."  
"Good night, Sara."  
He waited until she disappeared into the bedroom and closed the door behind her. After stripping down to his shorts, he stepped in front of the bookshelves. The numerous volumes were sorted by areas of interest. On a board with travel literature about places all over the world, he discovered a paperback titled '101 Things You Didn't Know About Hawaii'. Steve smirked, pulled it off the shelf, and went to bed with it. The house was silent, he was almost expecting to hear the sound of waves as if he were at home. The reading was interesting, but after a few pages he put it down and turned off the light. To his surprise, the room didn't go completely dark. He glanced over the back of the sofa and discovered that small LEDs glowed on the baseboards in the hallway and on the side of the living room that led to the kitchen. So you wouldn't have to look for the light switch if you wanted to get a glass of water at night. In his mind he thanked Patrick for his foresight. He curled up in the blanket and fell asleep immediately.

Soft steps woke him. It was still dark, a look at his watch told him it was two in the morning. Muffled noises came from the kitchen. He got up and went over. A tiny  
lamp under the closets gave little light. Sara was leaning against the sideboard. She was holding a cup. "Everything Okay? Can't you sleep?"  
Sara sipped and grimaced. "Sorry, I didn't want to wake you up. I tried to be quiet ... "  
"Once SEAL, always SEAL," smiled Steve. "Rumor has it that I'm having a sixth sense. What are you drinking there?"  
"Melissa tea. I don't like it, but it helps. If I take a sleeping pill now, I'll be walking around like a zombie all day tomorrow."  
"What's happening?"  
"I dreamed of Patrick." She wiped her face.  
The hand with the cup trembled. In the semidarkness he could see the hot liquid spilling out. He stepped closer, took it from her, and placed it on the sideboard. "Do not burn yourself. I'm sorry. I brought up old memories. I shouldn't have asked. "  
"You didn't know the answers." She sniffed softly. He gently pulled her a little closer to him and put his arms around her. He felt a few tears run down his chest and stroked her back. They stood like this for a while, then she straightened herself. He let go of her. "Are you okay?"  
"Thank you. This was better than tea. "  
"Just pleasure."  
She left the cup where it was, turned off the lights, and walked slowly toward the bedroom. Halfway down, she stopped and turned. "Steve?"  
"Yes?"  
"I ... Would you mind ... staying with me a little longer?"  
He hesitated briefly. Then he followed her. "No. If it helps you ... "As he passed, he pulled the blanket off the sofa and followed her into the bedroom. He lay down on the bed next to her and put his arms around her. Steve felt her silent sobs a few more times, then she fell asleep.

When Sara opened her eyes, the bed beside her was empty. Steve's blanket laid neatly folded at the foot of the bed. Outside the sun was shining and through the open skylight she heard splashing so she suspected Steve in the pool. Slowly she got up, before she pushed herself she tested the stability of her legs, as every morning. It was a ritual she had been practicing for eight years. She put on her swimsuit straight away, had a coffee in the kitchen and went outside. As she suspected, Steve did lap after lap in the pool. She drank again, put the cup down on the patio table, where one was already, and went to the pool. Steve swam two more laps, then slid and stopped in front of the stairs.  
"Good Morning. Did you sleep well?", he asked smiling.  
"Yes. Thank you. Have you been swimming for a long time?"  
"A while. I wouldn't have thought it, but it's not that bad. "  
"There was no space in the garden for an Olympic distance pool," teased Sara. "I'm going to make breakfast, it is too narrow for both of us."  
"No, come in. I'll do that. I don't want to disturb your routine too much."  
They squabbled for a moment, then Steve climbed out of the pool and Sara started her morning training program.  
After breakfast, Steve helped her tidy up. The teacup was still in the kitchen.  
"Do you have that more often?" Steve asked quietly as he poured out the tea and put the cup in the dishwasher.  
"From time to time. Thanks again. I didn't want to embarrass you."  
"You didn't. Do you have any idea what we're going to do today?"  
"Mhm. I hope you have comfortable shoes with you. And your Navy ID. "  
"Both. What are you going to do?" He watched her as she took a small backpack from the bedroom and started packing.  
"My little emergency kit."

Steve saw her taking a water bottle from the fridge and then two smaller bottles from the closet next to it. He knew the contents, it was an electrolytic solution, the yellow liquid looked like urine and the taste wasn't much better. It had been standard equipment for his overseas assignments. The bottles were followed by a few cereal bars and then an object that he only recognized at second glance. "A folding walking stick? Do you want to go on an expedition? Or what's going on? I mean, I got the impression you were pretty good walking today."  
"I am. But you've already seen how quickly this can change. It's only for an emergency. If you find out where we're going, we won't be able to get home that quickly. "  
"Aha. I'm curious." A few minutes later, he found himself back in Sara's passenger seat. "I'm thinking about getting a rental car organized quickly," he grumbled as she turned onto the main street.  
"Could be difficult. You will survive, for sure. According to Detective Williams' description, I was already afraid that you would continuously criticize my driving style and keep yelling "Caution, strollers!" or 'Take care of the Grandma!'. "  
"Should I?"  
"Please don't."  
He followed the route and saw that they were heading for Norfolk Base. "But I don't have my things with me if you want to get rid of me."  
"I don't want to. Didn't you really notice on the flight what's going on this weekend?"  
"I slept. How so?"  
"It's the Norfolk Harbor Festival weekend. I've been out of the country for the past two years, and I've been looking forward to this time. At the same time is the base festival. Tonight the big fireworks is gonna take place."  
"I have to admit I've never been to the Harbor Festival in all these years, even though I have heard a lot about it. Always sounded very interesting - and a lot of people. You really want to do this? ", he asked and looked at her.  
"Mhm. Now and then a little hustle and bustle doesn't hurt. As long as I don't overdo it ... "She steered into one of the driveways to the base and held out her ID to the guard. Steve leaned over and did the same. The guard saluted, then the barrier rose. "Don't be surprised, we take the back entrance. When I drive to the festival parking lots, it's a few kilometers before we see the first ship."  
Steve laughed. "I'm hardly surprised. Life is crazy."

After they parked the car and passed another access control, they were right in the middle of the action. Sara surprised him, they were out all day, on ships and on land. She seemed to be known in Norfolk, they had to stop again and again to make small talk. He also spotted a few familiar faces. Occasionally they took breaks, sat on one of the numerous benches to eat or take a breath, but she persevered. When dawn came they returned to Sara's car.  
"Didn't you want to see the fireworks?"  
"Indeed. But I'm more in the box seat."  
They drove only a few hundred meters, then Sara stopped in front of a building in a parking lot marked with her license plate. She led him into the house and up to the third floor. When she unlocked a door, he asked: "Your office? You work here? "  
"Amongst other places. It's my main location. Here's Lieutenant Green's workplace that your partner has clashed with. And this is our box seat."  
She hadn't promised too much. The view from the office was incredible and they didn't have to wait long for the first rockets to light up the sky. They had made themselves comfortable in Sara's visitor chairs to enjoy the view of the big fireworks. He didn't know exactly how, but when the last sparks went away, their hands had found each other. In the light of the desk lamp, he saw Sara blush when he carefully removed his hand from hers.  
"Sorry, Steve. I ... I'm passing limits. Last night ... and now ... I ... "  
He put a finger on her mouth. "There is nothing to apologize for. I also have no idea what could become of this. But nothing happened that wasn't right. Let's just take it slowly. Okay? Just wait and see."  
"Okay ..." she replied hesitantly.  
They didn't speak a word until they reached Sara's house. While she had a shower, he made up the sofa bed. He reconsidered the day in his mind. Sara had slept peacefully when he got up. He had been surprised when she just came out in a bathing suit, so far she had avoided showing him her scars. They weren't beautiful, but faded from their age so he didn't find them that bad, but Sara was uncomfortable with them, he respected that. Throughout the day, she had played out her handicap only once, on a particularly long queue, and standing that long would not have done her any good either. At breakfast she had wordlessly put the butter next to his coffee cup, just as he had found some things in the fridge that she had apparently noticed from her visit to Hawaii that he liked to eat them, because all the packages were fresh and unopened. Thinking back to the fireworks made feel him warm. He had been telling the truth, he didn't know how things would develop between them. But he didn't mind the obviously developing closeness.  
Steve heard a door rattle, then Sara stood in front of him, in her night clothes, barefoot, her damp hair pinned to her head with a clip. She looked so ... young and vulnerable.  
"Are you okay? It's been a long day, "he asked.  
"I'll get a little magnesium from the kitchen, but yes, I'm fine. Did you also like the day?"  
"Yes, very. Thank you."  
She went into the kitchen while he made a detour to the bathroom. When she came back, he was leaning against the wall in the hallway next to the bathroom door. She stopped in front of him.  
"Good night, Steve."  
He pulled her close to him, put his hands around her face and kissed her gently. Then he released her and replied, "Good night, Sara."  
Her eyes sparkled with little teardrops as she nodded to him and quietly disappeared into her bedroom.

XXXXXX


	11. Chapter 11

If Steve hadn't had to keep his hands on the steering wheel to keep the car on track on the winding mountain road, he might have been tempted to strangle his partner in the passenger seat of the pickup. Danny had been complaining without a break since they left the suspect's abandoned house. "Someone has put them in, we would come."  
"How many times are you going to repeat that again? I got it. You saying that for the fifty first time now doesn't make it more true or better."  
They had received a tip that the lonely house, if you could call the dilapidated building a house at all, should have sheltered a large amount of drugs and their temporary owners and suspected sellers. When they reached the hut, however, they had found nothing except for various traces, which indicated that both could have been there, as well as a lot of garbage and dirt. CSU was now dealing with the remains, even if he had no real hope that they would find useful information about the fugitives and their goods. Now they struggled themselves down the narrow mountain road again, Chin and Kono drove in another off-road vehicle directly behind them. It was probably one of their last missions together, it was mid-July and soon both would move to the mainland. Steve was still completely at a loss as to how to replace them, he just knew that this was going to be a tough nut to crack. He headed into another tight curve on Tantalus Drive. At least on this route, Danny would definitely not complain that he was driving too fast, as he didn't want landing anywhere in the forest or at the foot of one of the steep cliffs.  
"When we get back, Chin and Jerry have to go back to the cell phone protocols up there. It has to be possible to find out how the guy knew we were coming. And above all, by whom! More or less nobody knew about the raid except us."  
"You repeat yourself," Steve replied succinctly. The next moment he hit the brakes hard. He was out of the car when he heard Danny scold behind him. "What are you doing now? Where do you want to go? You can't stop here in the middle of the curve in the middle of the road!"  
He ignored him, instead stepping to the side of the road and staring down intensely. Above, only broken branches and a half-broken thin tree trunk, which was probably the guardrail, indicated that something was wrong here. A look behind him showed him on the one hand a hardly existing brake mark and on the other hand that Chin and Kono had stopped on the shoulder and had just got out. When his colleague came up to him, he asked: "Do you see that down there? There's something blue between the trees. Could be a car."  
"The tracks look like it. But it is also a bad place. Do you remember the escaped bride? "  
"'Course."  
"This happened also on this street, one curve uphill."  
"Mhm. I'm going down. Are you securing me? "  
"You got it."  
Steve put on one of their radio headsets and prepared rope and belts for the descent. Danny leaned against the car, shaking his head. "If the raid doesn't provide enough fun, why not a round of mountain climbing? But without me."  
He slowly let himself down between the trees, always careful not to get tangled in the thick vegetation on the rocks until he finally reached the point of impact. It was actually a blue pickup truck, which appeared to be a bit older than himself. "I was right, it is a vehicle. Or it used to be one because now it's junk. I'll go down a little further and take a closer look. "  
"Copy that. I still have some rope," Chin said.  
Steve looked up. Meanwhile, Kono and Danny were standing on the edge and watching him. He let himself down until he reached the driver's cab of the vehicle, which had a dented nose, catched between a rock and a tree. "Two people in there," he passed up before smashing the window of the driver's door. "It smells like your uncle's moonshine distillery, Chin. The driver is about sixty, passed out. There is a bleeding wound on his head. There is another person in the passenger seat, could be a woman. She's lying half in the footwell. Call the fire brigade and a helicopter, the man is still alive. I have to get to the other side, I can't reach the woman from here. Let me down a second rope so that I can secure the car, the whole thing is not particularly stable here. "  
"Copy, rope on the way," Danny replied.  
Steve worked his way up carefully to circle the car, he didn't dare taking the shortcut over the roof because the tree the car was hanging on made a quiet noise. When he was halfway there, the end of the safety rope landed an arm's length above him. Looking up, he saw Danny on the other end. "Did you practice?", he teased, then concentrated on his task again. He knotted the rope on the airborne rear axle of the car. Then he shuffled on to the passenger door. It was dented and the window was broken. Careful not to cut himself, he reached inside. "It's a young woman, she is alive, but has only a weak pulse. The belt did not hold her properly, she slipped forward. She is unconscious . Where are the rescue workers? "  
The answer came from Kono: "The helicopter has already started, the fire brigade should be here shortly. Are you okay or shall I come down?"  
"Stay up there. Without further protection, it is too dangerous to move the two or the car. I'll stay here in case one of them regains consciousness to calm them down."  
"Copy."  
Steve crawled away from the door a bit and sat on a rock. Shortly thereafter, his sharp ears heard the sounds of a helicopter and the first sirens. A few minutes later there were other ropes next to his and the pickup was further secured. A stretcher was lowered from the helicopter hovering above their heads and he helped the firefighters as best as he could to secure the woman and free her from the car. When the man had been pulled out and brought on the way to the hospital, he was completely covered with sweat and dirt.  
"Chin, I'm coming up now."  
"Give me a moment to find the right rope here, and you're ready to go."  
At the signal from his colleague, Steve climbed back up. When he was back on the street, Danny held out a water bottle. "Here. Not that you tip us over."  
He refrained from commenting, pulled off the cap and drank three-quarters of the bottle in one go. He spilled the rest over his face. After wiping off some dirt with his hand, he beckoned to one of the men from the HPD.  
"Commander?"  
"Make sure that both are screened for alcohol and drugs. The driver's cabin smelled heavy of alcohol. The results shall be sent to us directly. Likewise, the information about the identities of the passengers."  
"Yes, sir."  
"Thank you."  
At his nod the uniformed man ran to his radio and passed on his instructions.  
"You don't really have to speculate about the process, at most about the exact causes," Kono summed up. "The man is taken to Queen's Medical, the woman to Tripler. Both have broken bones, but the woman was way worse. The belt stayed in the lock, but it was completely worn out, meaning as good as no belt. The man from the fire department said it would be quicker to list what wasn't hurt. "  
"She looked really bad," Steve confirmed. Then he obviously surprised his colleagues, judging by their looks, because he gave a short command: "Danny, you drive". He went around the car, took a towel from the box on the bed, and wiped his face and neck again before getting in.  
"Okay. I drive, "he heard Danny say, then the car door went, he tilted his head back and fell asleep the next second. A hand on his shoulder woke him up. "We're there," Danny explained. There was concern in his eyes. Steve looked outside and saw Iolani palace.  
"Thank you. I'm fine."  
"You let me drive your pickup. Voluntarily, I want to emphasize. That leaves certain doubts about this statement. "  
"As long as I don't have to endure your pompous speeches, I'm fine. It is mid-July, it is scorching hot even for Hawaii, we have a thousand percent humidity and I have worked hard for over an hour down there. I just needed a quick power napping. Do we already have up-to-date information?" Steve asked when getting out.  
"Both made it to the hospital alive. The young woman has severe spinal injuries. Kono and Chin are already upstairs collecting data. Isn't that actually a case for the HPD? I mean, a car accident on a winding mountain road ... "  
"As long as we don't know more, it's our case. Everything is possible here, from homicide to hit and run to extended suicide. I'm going to take a shower," Steve announced. In his office, he took the fresh set of clothes from the lowest desk drawer that he always stored there and walked to the bathroom.


	12. Chapter 12

When he returned, the team stood around the computer desk.  
"There is nothing new from the hospitals," said Kono. "The skid marks match the car. I got photos of the evidence, the fire department is currently recovering the wreck. Too bad, it was a real classic, a Ford from the sixties. Now it is only scrap metal, even a lover will no longer start with it. At the moment it looks like no other vehicle was involved."  
"The results of the tox screens are not there yet?"  
"No."  
"And do we know who they are?"  
"Yes, the license plate identified the driver as Lono Kapela from Kahuka. What he might have wanted in the area is still unknown. According to the photos we have, the girl is his daughter Kaliko." With a wave of his hand, Chin pushed several pictures onto the screens on the wall. They showed the man's drivers license and a school registration form.  
"This is the man. Is that the most recent photo we have of her? She was too old to be a student," complained Steve.  
"You won't believe it, but yes," his colleague confirmed. "She is twenty-one. There have been never issued a driver's license or passport for her. Nor did she go to university, otherwise we would have a student ID at least."  
"OK. Is there a wife and mother too? "  
"We have Kaliko's birth certificate, but the mother's name does not appear anywhere else in the data."  
"Get a few people from the HPD and drive up to Tantalus, going from door to door. I can't think of any reason what the man and his daughter could have wanted up there."  
"And what are you doing?" Danny asked.  
"I'll call Kawika. If the Kapelas are from the North Shore, he may know them and be able to tell me something about them. Yes, Danny, I'll do that myself. We don't want you to again insult someone we might still need. And then I will take care of the report on the raid disaster." With that, his partner abstained from any further comments, and he did not voluntarily tear up the paperwork. He might have already noticed he hadn't looked good on the Navy call. Steve had bet on that too, because he wanted a little rest. Since he had been sitting next to the car, a thought hadn't let go of him.  
The call to Kawika didn't really help him. His friend knew the family by name, but knew practically nothing about them. After promising to make further inquiries and call him back, Steve wrote the report on the failed raid and answered a few emails listlessly. The paperwork annoyed him too often, but as the boss he had to go through it and his navy training at least helped him with the discipline he had trained over many years. It was quiet at headquarters, he was alone, everyone was on the move, except for Jerry, who had moved to his 'cave' in the basement, when he picked up the phone.  
It was only when a soft "Hello, Steve" came out of the line, he realized that he should have taken a look at the clock beforehand and taken the time difference into account. It was barely seven o'clock here in Hawaii, but in Virginia it was just before midnight. "Oh, Sara. I'm sorry. I didn't realize what time it was. I hope I didn't wake you up."  
"No, everything is fine. I'm sitting on the patio with a book. No chance for getting sleep."  
"Did you have a bad day?" Steve asked, leaning back in his desk chair.  
"No. Just the usual paperwork. But the weather is weird. A huge storm front has been hanging over Norfolk since this afternoon and hasn't moved a bit. Whatever the meteorologists say about sea climate and rapid weather changes, this dark block makes a mockery of it. It is unbearably muggy and still almost thirty degrees. I already had about ten liters of water, which I sweated out synchronously, and all my bones hurt." Sara laughed when he called her "old pirate". "Something like that, even if it's not wood, but titanium. How are you? You sound tired."  
"I miss you. July 4th was so long ago. I wanted to hear your voice."  
"Two weeks. We spoke on the phone almost every day. And we'll meet next week in Coronado. Or are you going for a rain check? Another relapse? Are you not well? "  
"Don't worry. As of now I'm coming. I'm fine. At least concerning my health."  
"Steve, what's going on?" Sara asked a little more awake. "You sound strange. Did something happen? With someone on your team? Or Mary and Joanie? "  
"No, they're all fine. Mary sent me a video of Joanie a few days ago, I laughed myself to tears."  
"The one with the cheerleading pompoms? I got that too. I shouldn't have opened the mail in the office. Lieutenant Green was close to getting a doctor." He could hear her amusement clearly, then she became serious again. "Come on, get it out," she urged. He sighed deeply. "We wanted to do this raid today. Follow up on the drug storage tip I told you about. Went totally sideways. Jerry has locked in himself in the basement and is looking for possible gaps in the system to find out how the guy might have been warned."  
"Of course that's crap. But if that were all, you would be angry above all. But you sound more ... exhausted and sad."  
"Remind me that even on the phone it makes no sense trying to fool a razor-sharp analyst like you. But if I think about it, I was rarely able to do that before. "  
"That's right," she said tersely, then said nothing until he spoke again.  
"The alleged drug hiding place was in the woods above Tantalus and Manoa. East of the cemetery."  
"I can roughly remember the view."  
"When we found nobody there, we drove down these endless switchbacks. Danny and I in front, Chin and Kono behind us. In one of the last bends there were shrubs on the side of the road ... "Steve began to report. Sara listened to him, only occasionally confirming with a "Hm" or "Mhm" that she was still on the line, but kept his flow of speech uninterrupted. When he finally summarized the information they had gathered so far, but it was still very poor, the line remained silent for a moment. Then Sara cleared her throat. "And now the levelheaded Navy commanders imagination is going way overboard, isn't it? This car between the cliffs, the young woman in the passenger seat, she may also be dark-haired ... "  
"A local," Steve confirmed. "I do not know..."  
"Sometimes it is difficult to keep your distance on the job and not to let yourself get carried away too much. There's no difference for me, neither in the office, nor when I do volunteer work with wounded soldiers returning. About four years ago I met a young PO2, who had lost a leg and part of a hand in an attack in Kabul. Visually, he could have been a brother of Robin."  
Realizing she understood him hit him like a blow. Every time they talked to each other, he had that feeling again. She was still able to take a look inside him, but he didn't feel examined. Instead, it felt good to be understood even without a word. As if there hadn't been these fifteen years. He had to swallow before he could ask, "How did you deal with it?"  
"At first I was unsure. Then I finally talked to him about it. It wasn't easy for both of us, he also gave me a free pass to hand over the case. If I couldn't cope with the memories brought up by seeing him. In the end, we both opted to continue. He writes me a letter from time to time. He now lives near Minneapolis and is married. With a woman he met after being wounded. He has a good job and plays wheelchair basketball in the first division."  
"Lucky boy."  
"Yes, not everyone manages to get over it like that. Do you understand what I want to tell you? "  
Steve nodded, then remembered that she couldn't see him at all. "I guess so. It's no shame to be emotionally involved if you handle it properly. "  
"That's it. Can you hear this?"  
He listened more intensely. "Is that thunder?"  
"Yes, it has been going on and off for hours, over and over again. Sometimes more, sometimes less. Now it's getting louder again."  
"Maybe you can catch some sleep sometime tonight. Wait a minute, Kono is just coming."  
"Say hello to her and thank her for the book package."  
"Sure." He beckoned his colleague who was about to turn around when she saw that he was on the phone. At his request, she opened the door. "Come on in."  
"But I don't want to disturb."  
"This is Sara. She told me to say hello and thank you for the books."  
"Hello back. If she wants more, she shall just send me an email. "  
"Is there new information? Or what did you want right now? "  
Kono's face spoke volumes. "The boys are still up there at the scene of the accident. Pretty close tightened neighborhood. Nobody knows anything - or wants to know anything. I got an update from the hospitals. The father is out off surgery and in stable condition. The daughter is still in surgery, but it looks pretty bad. The cervical spine has gotten a lot, if she is making it at all, she will probably remain completely paralyzed. "  
"Crap. Sorry."  
"Why, that's right. I'll go down and see how things are with Jerry."  
"Good. Thank you, Kono." He waited for her to leave the office, then picked up the phone. "Sara, are you still there?"  
Her answer was accompanied by a loud rolling thunder. "Yes. I heard everything. The Tripler doesn't have its excellent reputation for nothing, Steve. Whatever they can do for her, they will do it. And if she doesn't make it, it's not in your hands. You have no reason to blame yourself. I know you like to take responsibility for the whole world, but you're wrong."  
"Stop," he interrupted. "At least in your time zone, it's too late at night to preach. Even I am getting wiser. I did everything I could do for them, I know that. Now it's up to the doctors and her. But I can find out why that happened and hold the perp accountable. It's just that I had a little too much time waiting down there on this ledge to think about parallels to your story. Shouldn't you go inside? That sounds heavy, "he asked when the handset transmitted a loud thunder again.  
"I'm already inside. When Kono came, it started to drip. Unfortunately not more, at the moment it is still too hot, so it's making it worse rather than better. You can literally touch the air. Don't loose your sleep over my accident. That was too long ago. And it doesn't make any difference."  
"I'm gonna try. But now I've really kept you awake long enough." He glanced at the clock on the wall. It was almost one in the morning in Norfolk. "With a little luck, it will soon start to rain properly and then you can also get to sleep."  
"As to cite a clever man: 'I'm gonna try.'"  
"Thank you for listening to me."  
"It's been a pleasure. Call me whenever you want. Even in the middle of the night of my time."  
"I'll try to avoid that. I grant you your sleep. Sleep well, Sara."  
"Nevertheless. At any time. You too later. And say hello to your team from me. I still live on the nice conversations. "  
"They also had fun with you. Good night."  
"Good night."  
As a farewell, another thunder banged out of the handset, then the line was gone.  
Half an hour later, Kono was back in his office. "We have a first report from the lab. The man had an alcohol level close to three, the girl is clean. "  
"Is there anything new? What's Jerry doing? "  
"Nothing helpful. It's just a good thing Jerry's working in a basement with thick walls. His vocabulary drops every minute. He has found cell phone signals and is currently tracking them back as far as possible. CSU is still digging through the dirt in the hut. The drugs were definitely there. How is Sara? "  
"The weather is going crazy on the east coast. That's giving her a hard time. What kind of books were you talking about?"  
"When she was here for the 4th of July party, we started talking about Hawaiian traditions. She was very interested and I gave her a book. Sara has already been through it when she got home, so I immediately sent her a package with some more."  
"That sounds like her," said Steve, smiling. "What did you send it with?"  
"UPS."  
"Give me the bill, I'll return you the money. And if you want to send something over again, let me know. Then I hand it over to a buddy at the Navy, it's faster and free. I don't want you to ruin yourself. The offer also applies when you are on the mainland. "  
Now Kono smiled too. "Thanks, Steve. Maybe I shouldn't say that, but I feel Sara is good for you. Maybe it will become more, but in any case you should keep her close."  
"I'm gonna try," Steve said, laughing at the same time because he was repeating himself. In addition, Kono was astute, but she didn't know everything.

I'm usually not begging for reviews, but I would appreciate to see if you readers like the story and the work translating it is worth it.  
The Original story yesterday reached chapter 100 and there's lot more to come. So let me now, if you're interested in. Thank you.


	13. Chapter 13

There was no new knowledge until the next morning. When Steve stepped into the garden with a coffee cup, his cell phone rang. Kawika called. His coffee grew cold over the story his friend told him. Still shaking his head, he made a few calls and ordered his team to headquarters.  
They all arrived there within a few minutes.  
"Good morning," he greeted the group when the last Jerry came in. "I've received some new information. Kawika got in touch. He couldn't help with the drugs. But he found out where the Kapelas live. The mother died when Kaliko went to primary school. The father started drinking then, at some point he bought himself a moonshine distillery ... "  
"... and became their best customer right away," Danny added dryly.  
"Exactly. Everything else offers, and that's a quote from Kawika, strange as it sounds, material for a drama by Shakespeare. He always surprises me. Lono Kapela has kept his daughter on an extra short leash. She had to go to work after graduating from high school, she worked in a gas station and in a surf shop. In the process, she met a boy from Wai'anae. The two met secretly, he often came to visit her at work. Yesterday they wanted to hike towards Manoa Falls for a picnic. The father followed them, knocked down the boy, his name is Ben Pekua, and put his daughter in the car. HPD have found Ben, they are just bringing him here. The father is said to have been extremely angry when he found out about his daughter's relationship. That, together with the alcohol level and the poor condition of the vehicle, should have led to the accident."  
"Does Ben know about Kaliko's condition?" Kono asked.  
"No. I have also given instructions that we will inform him first. On the way here I called Tripler. She is in an artificial coma, the doctors are currently not making any prognosis. The father is in stable condition, Chin, Grover, you go there and question him. In the meantime, his alcohol level should have dropped so far that he can be questioned. Kono, you sit down again with Jerry on this cell phone data."  
"And which task in this Shakespearean drama did you intend for me to do?" Danny etched.  
"You can show your sensitive side and help me to gently teach the young man that his girlfriend may never wake up again. And if she does, she's probably gonna be completely paralyzed." He raised his head and saw an officer at the glass door with a civilian with a visitor's ID on his shirt. He waved them closer.  
"Let's go," he ordered the team. With a wave of her hand, Kono turned off the screens, then followed her colleagues towards the door. "Are you Ben Pekua?" He asked when the two new arrivals reached him. He eyed the young man, who showed an impressive black eye and limped slightly. According to the information, he was twenty-four and havong a completely clean record.  
"Yes, sir."  
"I'm Steve McGarrett, that's my partner Danny Williams. Come on, sit down." He thanked the officer, then led Pekua into his office and offered him a chair.  
"Please, tell me, what's going on? The officer said something about an accident, but not what exactly happened."  
Steve took a seat and cleared his throat. "You went to Manoa Falls with Kaliko Kapela at noon yesterday?"  
"Yes. We wanted to go for a walk, have a picnic. Yesterday was a special day for us."  
"So?"  
"Yes. We have known each other for six years now."  
"Six years? How did you do that? "Asked Danny.  
"With a lot of caution and the support of a few people who like Kaliko. I did my apprenticeship after graduation and worked hard to save as much as possible. She would have liked to study, but her father forced her to go to work straight after graduation. She had to give up every penny. I also come from simple backgrounds. My parents own an auto repair shop, we specialize in disability-friendly conversions. But we also do everything else coming up. They know Kaliko and understand what I'm going to do. "  
"What are you going to do?" Danny interjected.  
"I want to move away with her. To the mainland. I saved enough for plane tickets and a first start. My parents even want to support us. Yesterday I wanted to propose marriage to her. "  
_Holy crap_ was the only thing that came to his mind at that moment. He searched for words to gently teach Pekua the bad news, but he couldn't think of anything.  
"Just tell me what's going on," Pekua asked again impatiently.  
Steve sighed. "OK. I'd like to serve it more diplomatically, but I can't. After Kaliko's father beat you up, he hurtled down Tantalus Drive at a high speed. In one of the last bends he got off the road and the car crashed. Kaliko was seriously injured. She's located in the ICU at the Tripler military hospital. We will take you there. "  
He watched Pekua put his hands over his face.  
"My God. What did this lunatic do ?! Can ... Can I call my parents, please? They have to know. And please ... don't tell me where her father is. I held back for six years as not to make things worse for her, but I don't know if I could do that right now ... "  
"Here, take my phone. And be sure we will make sure that he gets his sentence. I promise you personally, "Steve explained, pushing the phone closer to the edge of the table. When Ben had finished talking on the phone, they drove to the hospital with the young man in the back seat.  
Steve shortened the inevitable discussion with the doctors by telling them under the surprised look of Danny that Ben Pekua was Kaliko's fiance. When they were both in the locker room in front of the ICU, Ben cleared his throat. "Thank you. You ... lied to the doctor so I ... "  
"Well, not directly lied. Just adjusted the truth a little. Do you have the ring with you?"  
"Yes. I still have it in my pocket. "  
"Then follow me."  
Equipped with sterile overshoes and gowns, after disinfecting their hands, they were allowed to enter the intensive care unit. A nurse led them to the bed where Kaliko lay, surrounded by machines, monitors, and hoses. Her legs were splinted, and a support cuff was around her neck.  
"My god," Ben croaked barely audibly.  
"The nurse said you can take her hand. Do that. Sit down with her, talk to her. She will feel your presence. I'll make sure your parents can get in here too. And if you need anything, call me. At any time."  
"Mahalo, Commander."  
"You're welcome." Steve patted him on the shoulder, then left him alone with Kaliko. He used the time in the locker room to regain his composure. His imagination was playing tricks on him again. Danny was leaning against the wall in front of the intensive care unit. "How's it?"  
"Bad. Really bad. I'm not a doctor, but that ... " Before he could continue talking, his cell phone rang. He glanced at the clock that showed just after twelve. "Closing time, Lieutenant Commander? Your work morale is interesting, "he joked somewhat.  
"Why shouldn't I drive home on time once a week? I wanted to hear how you are doing. You don't sound that good."  
"Danny and I just drove the victim's fiancee to the Tripler. The case is solved, a classic."  
"And the dealer?"  
"We're still working on that. Did you finally get some sleep?"  
"Yes. Shortly after we hung up, an almost biblical cloudburst went down. It cooled down within minutes and it was much more pleasant. "  
"I'm glad," Steve explained under Danny's annoyed look as they headed for the parking lot.  
"And how are you?" Sara asked emphatically again. "Or wait, I ask the question differently. Then you can answer without Williams immediately getting worked over it. Could you free yourself from the thought of somehow being responsible for the condition of the young woman?"  
"Yes, I think so."  
"And you just feel compassion for her and her fiance now?"  
"Mhm."  
"That's good. What did the doctors say? "  
"Constantly bad. I'll tell you the story later, now I have to see if Kono and Jerry are making progress. "  
"Okay. Take care."  
"You too." He put the phone away and got in. After looking at Danny, he said, "Leave it. Just don't say anything. Roger that?"  
"I..."  
"I don't want to hear anything," he snapped at his partner.

Three days later, they got word from the Tripler Hospital that Kaliko Kapela had died. Ben had been with her the whole time. When the funeral took place, Steve was in San Diego with Sara, but the day after he returned he went to Wai'anae. In the workshop he only found a few employees and Ben's father. After a short shop talk, he sent him to a place on the beach where his son was often to be found when he was thinking about something. Steve left his car at the workshop and walked the hundred meters. There was barely anyone to be seen, so he had little trouble finding Ben sitting on a rock on the shore staring at the waves.  
"Hello, Ben," he said to him. "Do you mind?"  
The young man looked up. "Hello, Commander. No, sit down."  
Steve sat down on the rock next to him. "I'm sorry I wasn't at the funeral. The flight wasn' t rebookable. "  
"I'm sure you had a good reason why you booked it. There were so many people there. So many people who liked Kaliko. Not her father, "he pushed afterwards.  
"The main thing is that you were there."  
"Yes. I held her hand when she died. And I have fulfilled her wish."  
"Yes?"  
"Mhm. Somewhere in the States, someone got a new heart last Sunday. A kidney, a liver. And someone else can see again. "  
Steve swallowed. "You donated her organs?"  
"The ones that were still usable, yes. She would have wanted that. She always helped everyone. Was such an open and warm person. Even though she grew up like this. And she never wanted to be a burden to anyone. I wouldn't have cared if she would have been in a wheelchair if she had just woken up. But she didn't have wanted to live like that."  
"Too bad I couldn't get to know her. She was definitely a great person."  
"Mhm."  
"Ben, can I ask you something?" Steve asked hesitantly.  
"Sure." The young man looked at him carefully.  
"You work in your parents' workshop."  
"Yes, for years."  
"And you said that you equip cars for drivers with disabilities. Maybe you can drive with hand controls? "  
Ben gave him a surprised look. "Sure I can. With half a dozen types. We often pick up the cars from customers when they have problems. My mom also has a license for driving lessons. And we work with a car rental company, so we have to bring and pick up the cars. How so?"  
"My ..." Steve hesitated to say that. "A friend of mine drives a car with hand control. When we meet at her place, she always drives. I feel weird about it. And if we are on the road longer and she gets tired, I cannot support her. What's up?", he asked when Ben started to laugh.  
"Excuse me, Commander. Your motives may be really honorable. But to be honest: you are one of those control freaks who cannot give up the wheel. If you want to ask me if I can teach you: Yes, I can. Just tell me when and where. And tell me a few details about the facilities your girlfriend uses. Then I get a suitable rental car. But you pay."  
"Of course. I'll also pay the lessons. And the control freak is only a little bit true, "he grinned. "Call me Steve, yes?"  
"Sure."

XXXXX


	14. Chapter 14

"Where did you leave your travel bag?" Danny asked as Steve steered his pickup into the side entrance to Hickam Airforce Base. "And what is the dog doing here?" He pointed behind him to the back seat, where Eddie was sitting and watching the surroundings.  
"I'm not flying."  
"What do you mean you don't fly? '"  
"This is a simple sentence in your native language. You should actually understand that. I'm not flying, "repeated Steve.  
"Steve, you have been on a plane almost every free weekend for months and have been flying somewhere through the States. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, it's a long weekend, and now you're not flying? Are you kidding me? What are we doing here then? And above, right here, the terminal is on the other side," Danny pointed to the gates that were just opening and the guard, who was saluting casually.  
"We pick up something. I don't fly because Sara has been in Europe for a week and Mary will come with the little one tomorrow. "  
"Sara is in Europe. Aha. And what is she doing there? Or is that something you can't tell me again?"  
Steve drove the car to a hangar. "If I knew, I probably wouldn't be allowed to tell you, exactly."  
"If you knew? Your girlfriend is touring Europe and you have no idea what she is doing there?"  
"I don't even know what agency she is there for," Steve replied. "It may amuse you, but there are also things that she can't tell me. I don't like that, but that's the way it is when you work for Uncle Sam. If I were requested for a SEAL mission, the reverse would not be any different. Only that I can assume with her that it will not be a battle area with live fire, "he said, ordering the dog to wait, and left the car. He didn't wait to see if Danny would follow him, but instead ran towards the gate that opened just as he reached it. He greeted the late forties in the camouflage patch who came out with a handshake and a pat on the shoulder.  
"Hey, Hank. Been a while."  
"Not long enough," laughed the other. "But at least you don't seem to bring trouble with you this time."  
"I don't mean to. Where are they?"  
"I'll bring them out to you. Who is that? "The man pointed to Danny, who was leaning against the car with his arms folded.  
"My partner from Five-0. He's sore because he doesn't know what we're doing here. "  
Hank laughed. "It looks like. Does he just want to stand there or is he going to help? "  
"I wouldn't bet on it."  
"Okay." Steve's comrade went back into the hangar and came out shortly afterwards with a trolley with four large transport boxes and another soldier. "Here you are. You have to sign for them. When will I get the boxes back? "  
"It may take a while, I don't know when Sara can fly in to unpack them. I respect her privacy. At worst, it will get Christmas. "  
"Just call when you're ready."  
"Sure. Thanks. "Steve returned the clipboard with the signed documents, took the handle of the trolley and pulled it towards the car. Together with the soldier, he put the transport boxes onto the load bed of his car. "Is it fun to watch other people work?", he etched towards Danny when the last box was loaded and secured.  
"Definitely. I have no idea what that's meant to be, so why should I touch it? I don't know if you're doing anything illegal again."  
"I'm not doing anything illegal," Steve mimicked. "I'm picking up moving boxes. Hop in."  
"Moving boxes?"  
"Moving. Also a word in your native language, _Danno_. It means packing your belongings in boxes to transfer them to another place to move into," said Commander McGarrett ironically as he headed back onto the highway.  
"Do you think I'm stupid ?! I know what moving boxes are. I just don't know what you need them for. Plus, the Navy model. Do you want to run away now, like Kono and Chin? Why don't you tell the governor right away that Five-0 is history? "  
"Ever tried logic? They're full, so the comrade helped me load them up. They're not mine, they're Saras. "  
"Sara is moving? Wait a moment! Sara is moving to the island? Are you getting nuts? ", Danny excited.  
"No, we are completely sane. And that's the first part of Sara's belongings, the big load is coming in January. She has applied to the Navy for her transfer to Pearl Harbor and is now setting up her home base here. "  
"Seriously?"  
"What's so unbelievable about it? You look like I said the Martians had landed. "  
"I cannot believe it. She has been here once, no, twice. And now she wants to move here? To you? Are you serious? And what about your new buddy here? She doesn't even know him yet, "Danny pointed to Eddie in the back seat.  
"She likes the island. She would have been here more often if it were less of a problem with flying. In contrast to your arrival here, she has been learning about the culture of the island since she applied for the transfer. So that she settles in well here. Sara likes dogs, that's not a problem. And why shouldn't we stand it? "  
"Two geniuses of your type on an island," Danny etched. "You can wait for it to pop."  
"Something's about to pop," Steve interrupted the tirade.  
"And Lynn ..."  
"Don't. You. Mention. This. Name. In. My. Present!"  
"But..."  
"Don't", Steve growled again. "The woman made fun of me. There is no reason to feel sorry for her."  
"I just wanted to say ..."  
"Don't say it," Steve ordered again when his phone rang. No number was displayed. "McGarrett," he said roughly when he activated the speakerphone.  
"Hello, Steve."  
He looked at the phone in surprise. Danny made a resigned gesture next to him. He took a deep breath before answering, "Hey, Sara. I can't see your number. It must be about four in the morning for you? Shouldn't you better be sleeping?"  
"I'm on a plane. And honestly, I just lack a bit of a sense of time. I only know that it is dark outside."  
"Inside a plane ?"  
"Yes, somewhere between the 40th and 60th longitude."  
"But you shouldn't be back until next week. Are you okay? "He asked, because she sounded pretty exhausted.  
"I'm tired to death, but okay. The job was canceled early. It..."  
"Wait a minute," Danny said. "I don't know what you're talking about, but do I have to dig a bunker into the garden for my children now? If whatever it was has been canceled? "  
"I can assure you, Detective, there is currently no reason to order a dredger. Am I on a bad time, Steve, are you on duty? "  
"Just as a cargo truck," Danny replied instead of him.  
Steve gave him a sharp look. "I picked up your boxes from Hank and just taking them home. It was on the way, so Danny is still there. Even if I'm considering putting him out here on the highway right now. "  
"Exactly, tie me to the next lamppost like an unwanted dog."  
Behind them Eddie felt addressed and whimpered softly. Steve reached back and ruffled him. "Don't challenge me." He heard Sara laughing softly through the line. That alone had been worth the fuss with Danny. "Are you going straight to Norfolk?"  
"No, D.C .. I'm still sorry about Thanksgiving. I would have loved to see Mary and Joan again. And finally met Eddie. But I won't have a chance to get out of D.C. before Saturday and flying over then, I just can't make it. "  
"They think it's a shame too. But don't worry, that's the job. Mary knows that. We'll make up for it. Christmas is in four weeks. I don't know if Coronado will work again before, but by then you will definitely be here. "  
"Anyway, I'm trying very hard. How many boxes did you get?"  
"Four, why? Are you afraid they have lost something? "Steve asked back.  
"No, but you know that. You send four boxes at a time and receive them over six weeks."  
"Not when Hank is involved," said Steve. "How many boxes did you hand over to the driver?"  
"Four. One of the boxes has a registration number that ends with an eight. Please open it when you are at home. "  
"I'm not going to your things."  
"Just do it," Sara asked him again. "There is a little Thanksgiving package for you on top. You can give your partner something, maybe he'll be in a better mood again. I have to go. If I can, I'll get in touch tomorrow. "  
"It wouldn't have been necessary, but thanks. Take care."  
"You too. Aloha. "  
"Aloha, Sara," Steve replied softly, then a click indicated the end of the connection. At the same time they reached the entrance to Steve's house.  
"She says Aloha? Is this a joke? A code? "Danny blurted out.  
"Danny, she's on a government airplane with God knows who can listen in, and uses an official line. What else should she say? "  
"I don't know, tell me."  
"I say shut up and help me. Or shut up and get out of my way. But shut up." Steve let the dog out, which ran straight into the garden and first marked one of the chairs there, opened the tailgate and hoisted the first box down to carry it. He parked it outside the front door to unlock and deactivate the alarm system. When he put the box down in the dining room, Danny groaned in behind him with another box. Eddie pushed past him and sat eagerly in front of his master so that he could take his collar.


	15. Chapter 15

"What did that woman put in there? That has to weigh tons."  
"We could carry the boxes together."  
"That's Okay. You're really serious, aren't you?" Danny asked, lowering the box onto the floor.  
"Mhm."  
"Already bought a ring?"  
"Not yet."  
"Or do you still have the old one?"  
"Are you stupid ?!" Steve yelled. "I'm not recycling an engagement ring! I sold the ring I had made for Catherine ages ago. Don't you ever call me a Neanderthal again, you jerk ... "  
Danny cut him off. "Yes, sorry, okay? Stupid question. I'm sorry. Come back down. Somehow I can't quite grasp what's going on here. You and Sara. What about ... I mean, does she know ... "  
"That I will die at some point? Or that I might be doing it before reaching the American average age? I told her. After I couldn't fly twice in the summer. I didn't want to lie to her and tell her it was because of work. At first she was a little shocked, but do you know what she said then? "  
"No."  
"You never know what tomorrow will bring, so why shouldn't you enjoy today."  
"It's pretty philosophical. Could be Hawaiian. Maybe I dislike her a little less now. "  
"I'll leave that up to you," teased his partner and went outside to get the next box. The last one they brought in together.  
"That must be the one she was talking of," Daniel pointed to the number plate on the side. "She said the number ended at eight."  
"I see it."  
"Then open it."  
"It is _my_ Thanksgiving package. Keep your nose out of it."  
"She said you should give me something."  
"No, she said I _can_ give you something," Steve corrected. "But not if you come to me like this." He pulled his knife out of his pocket and cracked the seal on the lock of the box. On top of it lay a neutral brown cardboard box between some towels, which took up almost a third of the box. Next to it he discovered a bag with a tag saying 'For Eddie'. He pulled it out and opened it. Inside of it there was a thick bone, sealed in and provided with an official seal. "It seems to me, it's not just me getting Thanksgiving gifts. Little package ... ", he groaned as he lifted the box out and heaved it onto the dining table, pushing the transport box back with his foot. Eddie had lay down in his basket and was watching with an eye what was going on.  
"Nice circus performance. What's in there? "Danny nagged.  
Steve lifted the lid and looked inside. "By God, I love this woman." He unpacked several vacuum sealed packets.  
Danny came closer. "What's this?"  
"Sour Dough Bread. A pumpkin pie. Oat Chocolate Chip Cookies. Cran-choc cookies, "Steve said enthusiastically as he looked through the vacuumed packs.  
"Buddy, there are bakeries on Oahu, too. What's that supposed to be? You look like a junkie in the evidence room. "  
"Ignorant. Only someone who has never been to the Sweetheart Bakery in Annapolis can ask that. Sara must have been there before she left to be able to send this. But how did she get it in the box? They came from Norfolk. "  
"Sounds like it's complicated."  
"No comment. Oat or cranberry? "  
"What?"  
"You get a cookie. One. Oat or cranberry? "  
"Am I a horse?"  
"Here." Steve tossed one of the packages to his partner and opened another. He took a big bite. "Good Lord. These things would be an absolutely solid reason to move back to the mainland, "he said with his mouth full.  
"Okay, they really don't taste bad," Danny admitted.  
"Not bad?" Steve swallowed hard. "Not bad?! That was your first and last cookie from Annapolis, you philistine. "He gathered the food back together, put it back into the box and carried it to the kitchen.

The next morning he picked up his sister and niece from the airport and they spent the Thanksgiving weekend together, among other things, with the traditional family football game on the beach with all colleagues, partners, children and friends. He only received a text message from Sara in response to his thanks for the package. 'You're welcome, just enjoy it. Happy Thanksgiving. Aloha. Sara.'  
It was late Friday night, Joanie had been asleep for a while when Steve turned on the television in the living room to watch the late night news. Mary put a beer down for him and sat next to him when the first report ran. Third, the news anchor reported the return of a delegation that had negotiated a new trade agreement in Brussels. Images were shown showing the group when they arrived at the White House, about half a dozen men in black suits. Steve leaned forward as a man and woman got out of the third car.  
"Is that Sara?" Asked Mary.  
"So that's how 'I'm doing fine' is looking," her brother growled. The woman on the screen kept herself in the background, but he had clearly recognized her, even when she was holding her face out of the camera. She followed the men into the building with her passenger, leaning lightly on a black walking stick that could only be seen with a keen eye in front of her dark pants suit. His sister slapped him on the shoulder. "Don't crawl into the TV, that's bad for the eyes. That was her, wasn't it?"  
"Yes." He leaned back again, opened the beer bottle with his knife, and drank deeply.  
"Must have been a tough week when she needs the stick. But it looks like she only has it with her just to be safe, "added Mary quickly. His sister knew about her handicap since Sara's visit on July 4th.  
"I hope so for her. Considering this is Thanksgiving weekend and they were in for reporting today, I might get the idea that they weren't just over there because of the trade deal ... That would also explain why she's so exhausted. She sounded like she'd been through the whole week."  
"She didn't tell you what she was working on?"  
"No. And I respect that. She said, she had her PT with her. But sometimes even this doesn't help. I hope she can now take a few days off to recover. "  
"She can do that particularly well if you don't wake her up at four in the morning with a message or a call," Mary said, taking the cell phone that he had pulled out of his pocket and with which he was between played with my fingers. "After living with the handicap for more than eight years, you should trust her assessment that she is doing well. Maybe she euphemized a little bit so you don't worry about her, but she certainly didn't want to lie to you. So come back down. Or jump into the water again and cool off. "


	16. Chapter 16

When Steve had brought Mary and Joan back to the plane on Monday afternoon, he drove to high school, where he was waiting for Grace. Shortly after the last ring, she came storming out of the building among other young people. When she saw his car, she ran towards him. "Hey Steve. Did something happen? What about Danno? "  
"No, don't worry, your dad is fine. But I could use your help."  
"You? My help? "He saw the concern on her face give way to perplexity.  
"Yes. I want to buy something and I need a woman's advice."  
"A gift for Sara?"  
"Mhm."  
"Okay." She threw her backpack on the back seat and got in. "Let's go." About fifteen minutes later, Steve parked in front of a large jewelry store on King Street. "Okay ..." Grace drawled. "I think I know what this is gonna be. But why didn't you take Mary with you? She is your sister, she would have helped you too."  
"Mary doesn't believe in marriage. She would have helped me already, but I'm not sure if she had the right feeling for this special thing. "  
"But I don't know Sara that well either. I only saw her doing the bicycle courier thing back then. And at the July 4th barbecue at your house. "  
"But then you we're sitting together like hours. Grace, if you don't want to do this ... I have a shortlist, but I want a second opinion."  
"Okay, like you say. Let's go inside."  
Steve was looking for a shop assistant in the store and shortly afterwards an older lady came to them. "Hello, Commander."  
"Hello Mrs. Kolokea."  
"That's not the lucky one, I hope."  
"No, no. This is Grace, my partner's daughter. I thought it was a good idea to get a female opinion and since she knows Sara ... "  
"It's a good idea. Follow me, I'll get the tray." She led them into an adjoining room and came back shortly thereafter with a tray with six rings.  
Steve watched Grace looking at them all one by one and then lfting her head. "They are all beautiful ..."  
"But ..." Steve added, which Grace obviously didn't dare to say.  
"They are all white. Why is there nothing colored in there?"  
"What color are you thinking of?" asked the jeweler.  
"Blue. Light blue," she replied instantly.  
"And which of these do you like best in terms of shape?"  
"That one." Grace pointed to a white gold ring with an oval solitaire flanked by two smaller stones.  
"I'll be right back." Mrs. Kolokea left the room.  
Steve looked at Grace thoughtfully. "How did you come up with blue? Why not a diamond?"  
"When Sara and I sat on the meadow on July 4th, we talked about where we grew up. That Mom, Danno and I used to live in New Jersey. And she grew up in South Carolina. In a house like this old film ... "  
"Gone with the wind, you mean."  
"Exactly. With columns and white fences and strange lamps. Have you been there?"  
"No, but I know pictures," Steve reported.  
"And do you know her mother?"  
He shivered. "Yes. I had the dubious pleasure at a ceremony at the academy."  
"That bad?" Grace asked.  
"Do you remember your fifth grade math teacher?"  
"Oh god, Mrs. Deaconmyer?" Grace shuddered.  
"Exactly.. Now imagine that she was the fairy godmother. Then you know what Mrs. Anderson is like. "  
"It sounds worse than Sara described."  
"What did she tell you?"  
"That no matter what she did, it was never good enough for her mom. That she always complained about her husband. The ring was too small. And the wedding was more reminiscent of an election campaign event because of all invited politicians and celebrities. There were hardly any friends of hers. Sara and her husband were pretty unhappy with it."  
"I can imagine that. And what else?"  
"She feels comfortable here. With you. In the house. Because it's nice and cozy. And nothing fancy with columns in front of the door and fifty rooms and servants. What do you see first thing in the morning when you look out the window? "Grace asked surprisingly.  
"Trees, the sun ... The ocean?"  
"Exactly. She said the color was so wonderful. Quite different from where she lives. She's not the type for a diamond ring. No big rock, it's not about the price, Steve. Something with a soul."  
"I think I have something for you." Behind them, Mrs. Kolokea came back in with a second tray and placed it on the table in front of her, pushing the first one aside almost carelessly. There were three rings on it. "One is a blue topaz, the other two are aquamarines. Take a look at the rings."  
Grace pushed the tray over to him. "Think of the ocean," she urged him.  
He picked up one ring after the other and looked at it from all sides. Finally he held up one of the two aquamarine rings. The stone was exactly the color of the ocean in front of its property and was flanked by two white, slightly milky stones.  
"What are these stones on the sides?"  
"This is moonstone. Real moonstone. It comes from Sri Lanka and is very rarely of such good quality that it can be processed into jewelry. The aquamarine is Santa Maria quality from Brazil and untreated. That means it was found in this shade of blue and was not burned. This does not change the color later. Burnt aquamarines can fade when exposed to light. The ring is white gold," explained the jeweler. "It is slightly below the price range of the rings of your original selection, Commander."  
"That's not what it is about. Grace, do you think she likes it? "  
"Don't you have to know that yourself, Steve? Look at that, look at the others."  
Steve looked at the ring for a moment, then nodded. "You're right. This is much better. And just right for Sara. Thank you, Grace."  
He put his credit card on the table while the jeweler put the ring in a box.  
"When do you want to pop the question, Steve?" Grace asked when they left the shop a few minutes later.  
"I do not know yet. I would find it pretty clichéd if I did it under the Christmas tree. And I want to do it when we're among ourselves, not putting pressure on them by watching a hundred people."  
"Definitely sounds like a plan."  
"I'll take you home," Steve said as he got into the car.  
"Okay."

XXXXXX


	17. Chapter 17

Steve felt like a three year old waiting for Santa Claus. He was looking forward to it, but he was also extremely nervous when he stood in the lobby of Honolulu Airport. Eddie sat right next to his foot and was eyed suspiciously by passers-by. There were still seven days until Christmas, lots of people around him. Sara's flight had already landed, this time she had gone commercial, but he still couldn't see her anywhere. His patience was strained for a few long minutes, then a friendly voice next to him asked, "Are you looking for something specific, Commander?"  
"I'm waiting for a beautiful woman who has mercy on me and frees me from my waiting position."  
"I think I can help. Hello, Steve."  
"Hello, Sara." He pulled her into his arms and kissed her. "Why did it take so long?"  
"I had the choice of getting out first or last. The second seemed tactically wiser to me, otherwise I would have been mercilessly overrun by the impatient. That's why I waited. "  
"Very reasonable."  
"So that's Eddie?" Sara asked, looking at the dog that kept an eye on her.  
Steve crouched down. "Eddie, this is Sara. She belongs to us."  
He saw his girlfriend slowly extend her hand to the dog to let him sniff it. Eddie sniffed carefully, then licked it once, whereupon she scratched his ears.  
"I would say that's a good sign," she said with a smile.  
"I agree. Eddie, stay. Which one are yours? ", he pointed to the last pieces of luggage that were still making their rounds on the belt.  
"The two blue ones."  
He lifted the two suitcases she pointed to from the baggage belt. "That's all?"  
"Yes. Where's your car? "  
"Right outside the door."  
"That's good. We need to go straight to the airbase."  
"Why is that?" Asked Steve, pulling the two suitcases behind him and pushing the door open with his back. At his gesture, Eddie followed them without a leash on their feet.  
"My car landed an hour ago."  
"I thought it wasn't supposed to come until January?"  
"Hank called the day before yesterday, if I were ready within an hour he would have a place where he could squeeze the car on a plane. I hope he didn't mean that literally, but the car was picked up. I pre-booked a rental car for the rest of Virginia."  
"By now you should know that you can rely on him. Your second box load has arrived safely, the things are in the garage and waiting for you. Supposed to be a stone collection by weight," he grinned.  
"No. Lots of books. "  
"I can imagine that. Do you feel fit enough to drive a car? Or shouldn't we rather have the car brought home? "  
"As you may remember, I drive with my hands. The fact that the feet are a little weak after the long flight does nothing to do that ... Home ... ", she added quietly after a moment.  
He took his hand off the steering wheel and squeezed hers softly. "Your new home," he confirmed emphatically.  
After checking Sara's car for transport damage in the presence of Steve's friend Hank, they drove through the city in a convoy to Steve's house. Sara admired the Christmas decorations in the streets, which seemed a little strange for an east coast resident on an evening at about twenty degrees, but was nevertheless atmospheric.

As soon as Steve had unlocked the door, she went straight through the dining room, out into the garden, and dropped into the sand. She pulled her shoes and stockings off her feet and threw them behind, which was followed by a surprised exclamation from Steve. "Hey. What have I done to you?"  
She turned around and laughed. He had caught one of the shoes and now reproachfully held it out to her. Eddie barked around him. "Be careful throwing things here, otherwise you won't have your shoes for long. Our roommate here has sharp teeth."  
"Nothing, excuse me. This feeling with my feet in the sand, splashed by the waves, is so beautiful, I missed it. I'll remember not throwing again. Or I'll get him a new bone."  
"He'll be happy. You're going to have it every day soon. "He sent the dog into its place, dropped the shoe, sat down next to her in the sand and pulled her towards him. "It's nice to have you back here."  
She put her head on his shoulder. "It is wonderful to be here again. I counted the days until I could fly here. I actually don't want to leave."  
"It's not for long. There are only three weeks after New Year. Or have you already received a new assignment?"  
"No. Not yet. I also asked to be limited to CONUS until further notice. That means fewer flights, less absence from here. More time with you."  
"Sounds good."  
"I..."  
"What is it?" asked Steve when she didn't go on.  
"I hope I don't get too much for you. From meeting every few weeks to moving in together is a big step. "  
"Oh, Sara. We have already talked about this. The most important thing is simply talking to each other. Tell each other if we're getting on our nerves. And I don't think that's going to happen so quickly. We both work a lot, I am sure that we will continue to enjoy the time we have together. "  
"Mhm."  
"What do you think of freshening up a little and I'm gonna make something to eat?"  
"That's a good idea."  
She didn't have to ask him to help her. He put a hand on her back when her first steps towards the house were a little shaky. "Take your time."  
"Sometimes I hate that," she replied quietly. "Always having to expect suddenly having a cramp. Or my leg giving way. Not being able to drive anywhere without planning. To swim in the sea alone. Just put on a summer dress because it's hot and sunny."  
Steve grabbed her arm and turned her around. "I know of two ... incidents in the last nine months, after our first evening in the sea. You showed me the x-rays the last time I was in Virginia. It's a miracle that you're walking so well again without a stick or other aids, or at all, mostly anyway. But you live. And you walk. And I like to swim with you in the sea. And at some point, your head, because that's the only thing standing in the way, will allow you to wear a dress or shorts. Or to go for a swim where other people can see you."  
"And if not ...?" Sara interjected.  
"What if not?"  
"If at some point you don't like to swim with me in the sea anymore? Steve, you are Navy SEAL. You are trained for high performance, sporting to the point. You swim in dimensions like an Olympian, run, shoot ... I can no longer run, walk around for hours without a break or stand at attention. I can swim within limits. I know I got transferred here, but the back of my mind always haunts the thought of what happens if you can't handle the fact that I often just can't keep up because of this damn accident. If you ever come to the realization that I'm a drag."  
"Sara …"  
"I do not know..."  
He shook her gently. "Sara, stop! Please stop it. Stop talking yourself down and stop worrying like that. My feelings for you have nothing to do with athletic performance. And just don't start telling me that your rehab wasn't top performance. I know how things go. And you walk. Against all doctors' forecasts. I can catch a bullet in the field tomorrow and land in a wheelchair. And I hope you are still with me. Or the doctor discovers the first cancer cell."  
"Don't summon the devil!"  
"I don't. But do you understand what I'm talking? "  
"I think so."  
"Good. After your relocation you have a permanent subscription to Janice, she is always ready for you. She is going to make sure that you get support whenever you need it. Concerning PT. I'm there for everything else. "  
"Thanks."  
"Nothing to thank for. Think about my training, I'm sure I can pass on a lot in terms of 'motivation'. "  
"I wasn't going to join the SEALs."  
"They'd even take you now, even though you're a woman," he grinned. "But the approaches are definitely useful."  
"Aye, Commander. And now keep your promise and serve something to eat, they only served Hamburgers on the flight. I thankfully passed."  
"Aye, ma'am. On my way."


	18. Chapter 18

Steve let the Christmas days pass without asking Sara the question. On the second day of Christmas, the Five-0 team and their attachments met on the beach for a barbecue. Grace made some hints until he emphatically called them to order.  
"When the time is right, I'll ask her. But please stop it. "  
"Okay. Are you coming and playing volleyball with us? "  
"Yes. Give me two minutes."

Grace ran to her father, who was already throwing balls with her little brother, Nahele, Grover and his new colleague Tani. Steve walked a few steps to the place where Sara was sitting on a blanket talking to Grover's wife Renée.  
He crouched down to her. "Everything okay with you?"  
"I'm fine." She pulled him closer. "We agreed that you don't have to mother me. Pampering a little is fine," she says with a smile and kissed him gently.  
"I'll take your word for it," he said, returning the kiss. "I'm right over there at the game."  
"Have fun."  
They played for a while, then one of Danny's serves ended up in the bushes. The children started to look for the ball, the dog with them, who was obviously enjoying it while his partner came up to him. "Buddy, you're so screwed."  
"Please what?"  
"One can't be that crushed."  
"One can. Apart from that, it's none of your business. Leave Sara alone. "  
"Then tell her to leave my daughter alone. It is enough you took her with you to choose the ring."  
"Is it possible a visit to the psychiatrist is due for you? The two like each other. There is nothing bad about that and nobody takes anything away from you."  
"My head is fine. But I'm not so sure about yours, my friend. "  
"Danny?"  
"Yes?"  
"Just leave it."  
"But don't say Ididn't warn you later."  
"You have to work on your radar, Detective. You praised Lynn high in the sky. And what happened? She has been running on two tracks for months, fooled me and cut me apart. Your only reaction was 'that's impossible'. So who of us has a problem with his understanding of human nature? "  
Danny couldn't think of more than "now you said the name".  
The day before New Year's Eve, Steve invited Sara to a picnic. He showed her a spot on the east coast of the island, at Sherwood Beach, where they hadn't been together before. After dinner, Steve pulled the blanket under a tree, leaned against it and pulled Sara into his arms.  
She enthused: "This island is so incredible. How can the sea be so blue? It's always kind of ... green in Virginia. "  
"It's not Virginia. This is Hawaii. The difference is a few thousand kilometers and a completely different mentality. But..."  
"But what?"  
"Pull the basket over." Sara followed his request and pulled the picnic basket closer so that he could reach it. He rummaged briefly, then he found what he was looking for. "The fact that you like this blue so much inspired me when I bought this for you. So that you always have it with you. So I always have you with me. "Steve opened the little black box and held it out to her. "I love you. I would have never dreamed that we would meet each other again and that I would feel for a woman like that again ... "  
"After it shouldn't be the last time ..." Sara continued his sentence quietly.  
"Yes. No. You are not a second choice, you were the first. I don't want to give you up anymore. Would you marry me? Right here, on the beach, with a view of exactly this wonderful blue sea? I know you haven't even moved here yet. And it's quick. But..."  
"Steve?"  
"Yes?" He waited anxiously for what she would say.  
"With all my heart. Under one condition?"  
"Everything," he replied, pulling her closer and kissing her head.  
"We are getting married right here, as you said. No press, no politicians, no uniforms. Only friends, only people we like. No ten-tier cake and no twenty-piece orchestra."  
"That sounds terrible, who's getting married like this?" Steve asked, although he already knew the answer.  
"That was the very brief description of my wedding to Robin," Sara said. "My mother took over the planning at the time, I was mainly used as a clothes rack so that the dress would fit like a glove on Day X. We struggled to put a few friends on the guest list, but in the end they felt as uncomfortable with caviar, lobster tails and champagne mousse as we did. "  
"I promise you, no orchestra, no press, no caviar and no champagne mousse. Does this taste as terrible as it sounds? "  
"Something like that. I would like to have Mary and Joan with me. And my niece would also be happy to go as a flower child. But my mother will definitely not be there."  
"I can understand that. Probably not mine either, but for other reasons. "  
" Why 'probably'?" Sara turned to him in surprise. "I thought she ..."  
"I haven't told you that before," Steve said guiltily. "There was no moment for it. The story is very, very, very long. The short version is, she's not dead. However, I don't know where she is currently, just that she works for the government. She faked her death to protect Mary and me, she got involved with some really bad people. After the murder of my father, there were a few complications and I found out in the context. This is a very simplified, shortened version."  
"I can see that. Steve, whenever you want to talk about it ... I'm there. "  
"There are nicer things to talk about. But thank you ... Sara ... "  
"Yes?"  
"I love you."

You like the story? You want to read more? Just leave me a note.

I would appreciate any comment, so I know, the readers like my work.


	19. Chapter 19

In the early afternoon of January 2, Sara entered the Five-O headquarters. Flexible working hours were both a blessing and a curse on the work on the task force, Steve had received a call hours earlier and had left in a hurry. She hadn't wanted to disturb him at work, but now she was forced to do it. Lou Grover came out of a door on her right. "Hey Sara."  
"Hello Lou. Sorry for bothering you. I wanted to see Steve."  
"You are not bothering. Steve is out with Danny. Come on in."  
"Thank you." Fast running noises came from the direction of Steve's office, and then the dog rushed towards them. "Eddie! Stop! "Sara called sharply. At the last moment, the retriever seemed to remember something, tried to brake and came to a halt on his back right in front of her. His tail hit the floor like a metronome.  
"Great feat," Lou grinned as she praised the dog.  
"It's actually not. Eddie in his exuberance ran me over at the weekend. As soon as you take off the collars, he feels out of service and becomes a cocky madman. That might become a problem, so we want to get him out of it."  
"Oh hello," they heard from the direction Eddie had come from and a young black man came grinning at her. "What a shine in this humble house."  
"Speaking of cocky madmen ..." Grover murmured, at the same time a door clapped behind her and she turned her head to the side.  
"There you are. Detective Williams ... "  
"Hey." Steve came to her, put her hand on her back and kissed her. "I saw your car downstairs. What are you doing here?"  
She sighed. "Ask you for phone time. I could have gone to the base, but there is only a skeleton staff, I didn't want to make a wave before I've even started."  
"Don't you have your own phone?" Danny teased.  
"I had one I could have used. Until yesterday when a certain four-legged roommate confused it with a treat and drowned it out with drool. We are just draining it, but I have received an email and I have to make a phone call as soon as possible. "  
"They don't have holidays either, do they?" Steve grumbled. "I hope you don't have to fly earlier."  
"You know the way it's working. But I assume that nothing will change in our planning. Is this your new colleague who couldn't be there at Christmas?" She nodded in the direction of the young man who was still staring openly at her.  
Steve cleared his throat. "Special Operator Second Class Junior Reigns, out of service. Currently a student at the Honolulu Police Academy. Junior, may I introduce Lieutenant Commander Sara Anderson, US Navy." He suppressed a smile as Junior lost the grin from his face and turned into a fiery red despite the dark skin tone.  
The young man saluted, though everyone was civil, and looked frightened between the two of them. "Sorry, ma'am. I ... didn't know ... I ... Uh ... ", he stammered.  
Sara smiled. "Relax, junior. How were you supposed to know, as I'm walking around here like this." She pointed to the top and the beige trousers she was wearing that day. "I'm on vacation, at least something like that. Nice to meet you. Steve, don't scare the poor boy like that."  
"Then the poor boy shouldn't look at my fiancee like that," he growled.  
"I take it as a compliment. Can I use your office to call Norfolk? "  
"Yes, of course. You know how everything works. "  
"Thanks."  
He followed Sara with a look as she went to his office. Eddie quickly followed her.  
"Fiancee?" came his colleagues in a chorus.  
"Well, yes," he replied thoughtfully, grinning at the men and just leaving them there.

When they were sitting on the terrace with a glass of wine in the evening, Sara asked: "Tell me ..."  
"Yes?"  
"Sorry about the choice of words, but is it possible you're collecting people from... difficult backgrounds?"  
Steve laughed. "What do you mean?"  
"Well, for Nahele you are something between big brother and replacement Dad. And Junior ... You got him a place at the police school and a place to stay. Eddie was an orphan ... Tani has been expelled from the police academy, Chin was an outlaw when you hired him. Okay, Chin's an exception, he's older and was a friend of your father's. You take care of them, keep them on the right track ... "  
"It sounds like I'm a benefactor. I assure you I am not. "  
"But a man with a good heart under the hard shell," Sara said, smiling at him. "Polite, warm-hearted, fond of children, caring ..."  
"Stop it. It's a good thing it's dark, otherwise you might end up seeing me turn red. You don't have to praise me to the skies, I love you anyhow."  
"I know that. I only tell the truth ... "

XXXXXX


	20. Chapter 20

"May I ask what you are doing here?"  
Steve, after swimming together and taking Sara back to the shore, had done his usual workload and found his fiancee in the kitchen. There was a big basket on the table, she was standing at the sideboard, cutting something into pieces.  
"I'm preparing a picnic basket."  
"Did I miss something?"  
"Not directly. But I think I figured out what an aneurysm face is. "  
"Excuse me?" Steve asked perplexed.  
"You've been sneaking around your surfboard for three days. And whenever you feel unobserved, you pull that face. Now I know why. "  
He crossed his arms. "Now I'm curious."  
Sara turned to him. Her face was serious. "Nahele called earlier. He asked if you might have changed your mind. I asked him what it was about. Then he told me that you traditionally ride the first wave of the year together after New Year. And that you canceled him. Today the waves would be so great, if you didn't want to come after all. Steve, please promise me something. "  
"What?"  
"Never cancel meetings with your friends, or activities with Nahele or anyone else, because of me. No exaggerated consideration on me. You mustn't completely shut down your own life just because I'm here now. I have no problem if you go surfing with him. "  
"Sara, I just didn't want to leave you alone. You're leaving the day after tomorrow ... "  
He didn't get any further, she interrupted him. "So what? I'll be back in three weeks. Why are you making it so complicated? I prepare a picnic for us, pack a good book, you put your board onto the car and off we go. You dive into the waves, I enjoy the sun and the wind and put my feet into the water a bit. If I can't or don't want to go with you somewhere, I'll say so. Do you understand that?", she asked insistently.  
He nodded. "Yes. Yes, I understand. I'm sorry, I ... I'll practice that. Talk more. To ask until I know better. What did you arrange with Nahele?"  
"I'll pack a picnic basket, and as soon as you get back from swimming, we'll go. He said he was where you usually meet. I'm just going to finish this, then I'll change and we can go. "  
"Sara?"  
"Yes?"  
"I love you." He pulled her into his arms and kissed her, then ran outside and packed his board on the car.

Ten minutes later, they were on their way to the north coast with Eddie on the bed. They drove through Honolulu and then along the Kamehameha Highway. A thought occurred to him while driving. Shortly before Pupukea he drove off the highway and steered the car towards Waimea.  
"The waves are in the other direction. I have learned as much about Hawaii to know they can be found on the water, "joked Sara.  
"I know. I want to introduce you to someone."  
"OK."  
Instead of asking further questions, she watched the woods through which they were driving with interest. He drove slower when they reached the first houses. It was little more than a shadow that he saw coming from the right, at the same time Sara shouted "Steve!", He hit the brakes hard and turned the car sideways. He hadn't even turned off the engine when Sara had already opened the passenger door and slid off the seat. A look back told him that Eddie had disappeared from the bed. He jumped out and ran around the car. Sara was sitting on the street, a boy of maybe three years in her arms, sobbing and clinging to her. Eddie stood next to her and nudged her back, fawning his tail.  
"The boy allright?"  
"Yes. He got startled and bruised his knees. That's all. - Steve? ", She said alarmed. He raised his head. An older man had stepped out of a plot of land next to the street, a rifle at the ready. Steve stood between him and Sara. Eddie growled behind him. "Easy. Nothing happened to the boy. "  
"Get away from the dog," the man ordered in Hawaiian.  
He answered him in his language. "The dog is mine. He is not a threat to the boy. Can you see it? - Eddie, car!" Steve ordered. He glanced at the retriever, who seemed to look at him in disbelief, but then obeyed, jumped through the open passenger door, and squeezed between the seats onto the back seat.  
"Who are you?" Asked the old man.  
"I'm Steve McGarrett. I am a friend of Kawika, I wanted to visit him."  
"Kawika is not here. He is on the beach. "  
"Thank you. Do you know where the boy belongs? Then we'll take him home."  
The man lowered the rifle. "Eluana!" He called loudly. A woman came up to Sara from his neighboring property. She bubbled out a Hawaiian stream of words of which Steve understood only half, his fiancee simply nothing. He went to Sara, reached under her arms and pulled her and the boy up. She gave the boy to the woman who was obviously his mother. He tried to calm down the woman who finally thanked him and walked towards her house with the boy who had stopped crying and looked at Sara with fascination. Then he helped Sara back into the car.  
"The boy is answering to Keiki. That means simply child," he explained. "Eluana is his mother. He ran out of the house in an unobserved moment. There's little traffic out here, he hasn't learned how dangerous it is. She thanked you."  
"I understood that much. I have to get learning more of the language when I'm here. And the man? "  
"He thought Eddie was a stray who wanted to attack the little one. The threat was not on you. "  
"How comforting, considering that he had a shotgun in his hand," Sara replied ironically. "Who did you want to introduce me to now?"  
"Kawika. I've already told you about him. Unfortunately, a meeting in July did not work. The man said he could be found on the beach. The chance was fifty-fifty that he was up in the village or there."  
They drove a little further, then Steve pulled into a parking lot overlooking the beach. Sara looked around. "And you wanted to keep that from me? Shame on you."  
"Okay, okay. I got it. Nahele is over there.", he pointed towards the water. She followed his lead and discovered his protege who was carrying his surfboard ashore.  
"Looks like he has already tested the waves for you."  
Nahele waved to them when he discovered them, rammed his board into the sand and ran to them.  
"Hey Sara. It's great you were able to persuade him. Hey Steve. "  
"He needed a little telling-off. Are you taking the basket, please? "  
"Sure. Hey Eddie." He scratched the dog Sara had let out of the car. Sara reached for her shoulder bag and folding chair, Steve took his board, then they walked to the beach. She stopped short of the edge of the sand. "It's good here. A little shade and a good look. Come on, off with you. I'll just manage to spread a blanket by  
myself. "  
"Sara ..." Steve tried to contradict.  
"All men step away," she ordered in the best officer tone. That worked. The men ran towards the water, Eddie danced around them. She spread out her blanket, opened the chair, and settled on it.

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Thank you for the nice comments, I'm glad to read you like the story. There's a lot more to come on this one, and a Part 2 is going to follow.


	21. Chapter 21

It was fun watching the men and other surfers paddling out looking for the optimal wave. After the third round, she discovered a dark-haired man with a weather-beaten face and many tattoos, with a shell necklace around his neck. He walked to where Steve would be back on the beach shortly. Some of the other beachgoers greeted him respectfully or made room for him. She watched the two greet and hug each other in Hawaiian way. Shortly thereafter, Nahele joined them. Steve seemed to ask him to take care of their boards, then pointed in her direction and the two men came up to her. She pushed herself out of her chair and Eddie, who had now lay down next to her, got up.  
"Eddie, down," she ordered softly, then stood waiting for the men to reach her.  
"Kawika, this is Sara. Sara, may I introduce you to Kawika? "  
"It is an honor for me to meet you. Steve told me a lot about you." The man eyed her in silence. She tried to understand his impression. A woman with long, dark hair that fell over her shoulders, a sleeveless, blue shirt, but ankle-length, if very thin, white pants. Well, not quite so white after the trip to the street. Finally Kawika spoke. "Welcome to Oahu, Sara."  
"Thank you."  
"Your reputation precedes you."  
"Yes?" Sara looked at Steve helplessly as Kawika continued. "News spreads quickly here. I just got a call. Eluana's uncle announced you. And Keiki is entranced by you. Only Eddie is too big for him."  
"I believe that. But it really wasn't a big deal. "  
Kawika nodded knowingly. "Wouldn't you like to surf too? The waves are great today."  
"Thanks, but I can't. I enjoy it all around. "  
"It would be a pleasure for me to teach you," the Hawaiian offered.  
"Kawika, she ..." Steve started, but a look from her silenced him. He raised his hands apologetically.  
"I am very honored by the offer, Kawika. That you offer me, a Haole, to teach her how to surf. I pronounced it correctly, didn't I? "She interrupted when she noticed his look. He nodded, so she kept talking. "It's not that I don't want to. But with two broken legs I am unfortunately unable to do so. I lack the stability. "She saw Steve's friend glancing between them.  
Steve cleared his throat. "Are you hungry, Kawika? Sara packed enough food for a whole company. If I saw that correctly, also her phenomenal Apple Pie."  
"I'd like to take a piece of it."  
"Steve, help yourself. I'm going to the water a little, "announced Sara. He stroked her back and they kissed, then she took off her shoes and stepped away slowly and carefully in the sand.  
He and Kawika settled on the blanket. Steve handed him a piece of cake on a napkin and grabbed a sandwich. Together they watched the surfers as they ate. Nahele was back in the waves with a few buddies.  
"At least she can bake," remarked Kawika when he had finished eating. "An interesting woman, Steve."  
"And a little crazy. She wants to marry me."  
Kawika's head whipped around. "You're getting married?!"  
Steve couldn't help but grin. "Mhm. Looks like. Anyway, she said yes a few days ago."  
"Congratulations. That boy should be forbidden to even touch a board," he pointed to a youngster who stayed on the surfboard for just more than a few seconds before falling into the water and getting it on his head.  
"Totally agree." They commented on the surfers and talked shop for a few minutes while Steve watched with one eye Sara stepping along the waterline and enjoying the surf on her feet. Suddenly a bigger wave came, which Sara obviously saw coming, but slipped away and the next moment she sat in the sand. Steve had already jumped up when he saw Nahele running to Sara. They spoke briefly, then he reached under her arms from behind and the next moment she stood again. The boy had obviously been paying close attention at Christmas and knew that this was the most comfortable way for Sara to get to her feet. It was difficult for her to get off the floor without something to hold on to. Her leg muscles had suffered a lot from the accident. When he saw that she was apparently walking again without any problems, he let himself fall next to Kawika, who had been watching the scene. The wordless look with which he gave him let him make an explanation. "She had a serious car accident a few years ago. The fact she is walking again today is anything but a given."  
"Mhm. The spirits sent you an interesting woman, "repeated the Kapu.  
"You know I don't really believe in fate. Sara and I met during Academy. After that, the Navy sort of swallowed her up. Nothing came after her for a while, then I met Catherine. Do you remember the admiral's murder in spring? "  
"When you called me and wanted to know if one of the Kapu went nuts and started filleting old Haoles with a knife?" Kawika etched.  
"That was Danny's words and I apologized for it. He's got better, but sometimes he gets away with it. But yes, I meant that case. We had requested information from the Navy - and it got delivered by Sara. "  
Kawika hadn't taken his eyes off Sara, who was walking along the beach. "Are you actually sure that she is a Haole?"  
"Quite. She was born in South Carolina, went to the academy in New York, then joined the Navy. "  
"South Carolina," repeated Kawika. "So so. The original home of the intolerant. And how long has she been living here? "  
"It's not that bad either. Sara's father was a liberal and cosmopolitan person. She doesn't live here yet, she moves over from the mainland in February. This is her third private visit to the island, before that she was only working on the military bases. But since she was outside for the first time, she has read a lot about the island and talked to Kono. Why do you ask?"  
"I don't feel like she's a haole. Similar to you, although you grew up here. She respects us. And I see that she's feeling the spirit of the island."  
Steve looked at Sara, who had stopped again. Her face was raised to the sky with her sunglasses, her feet were washed by the waves. She had spread her arms slightly, as if to keep her balance - and at the same time to feel the wind. For a moment he wished he could take pictures and that he had a camera with him. Without further ado, he took a snapshot with his cell phone, but the picture was insufficient. The warm feeling made by her sight spread again in him. Kawika stood up next to him.  
"I'll leave you to Sara and your young friend again. I would like to take one or two waves today myself. "  
"You are welcome to join us."  
"Thank you. And thanks for the cake."  
As if his fiancee had noticed that Kawika was on the move, she had turned and was now on her way to them. They took a few steps towards her.  
"Are you leaving already?"  
"The waves are calling for me. Thanks for the cake, it was very good. You can visit us at any time, even without Steve, if you want to learn more about our culture and traditions. "  
"Thanks for the offer. When I settle down on the island, I will definitely come back to it. And thanks for the compliment. The Apple Pie was one of the first dishes I learned to prepare. The recipe is also a tradition. "  
He saw her surprise when Kawika pulled her into his arms before saying goodbye. When his friend was out of earshot, he asked, "Did you hurt yourself?"  
"No. The sand is soft. Kawika is a very impressive man. I didn't expect him to offer me that. "  
"You made an impression on him. Isn't it possible a Hawaiian is hiding somewhere in your ancestry? He doubts you are a Haole. "  
"Just don't let my mother hear that," Sara moaned. "Do you still want to eat something? Otherwise look for Nahele and send him over so that he gets something in the stomach. And some time with you. "  
"Aye, ma'am," joked Steve, kissed Sara and started looking.

XXXXXXX


	22. Chapter 22

Sara's concerns of getting used to everyday life were not confirmed. She and Steve had found their routine just a few days after her arrival in February with her last belongings. Steve, who still maintained the habit of the Navy shower, was the first in the bathroom with Eddie after his beach walk in the morning and then took care of breakfast while Sara was getting ready. If he had time, they would swim together, otherwise she would use the pool at the physiotherapy center, there was always supervision, because swimming in the sea alone was too dangerous for her. The dog quickly recognized her as part of the pack and also followed her commands. By chance it turned out that he not only mastered the job as a drug detection dog, but could also pick up things, which occasionally helped her a lot. They often cooked together in the evening. Steve had added shelves for her books in the guest room and dining room and after two weeks they were able to bring the last boxes back to Hank. After much thought, Steve and she had set an appointment for the wedding. They would marry in the open air on Sherwood Beach in May. Quite casual, without suits, a party only with friends.

On a Friday afternoon in late March, she was making final preparations for the weekend when there was a knock on the door of her office and Petty Officer Keahi showed in. To her surprise, he had been assigned to her as an assistant. Green had stayed in Norfolk.  
"Commander?"  
"Come in. What's up?"  
He pushed the door all the way open but stopped in the door frame. "Ma'am, I just received a call from the guard on the driveway. Down there is a Five-0 Detective Williams who wants to speak to you immediately. "  
"Is he alone?" Asked Sara.  
"Yes, and I was told that he looked very upset."  
"Upset like worried or upset like angry?" She made sure.  
"Angry. Should I send him away? "  
"No, let him come up."  
"Aye, ma'am."  
The petty officer closed the door again. She took a deep breath. _Okay, then everything is fine with Steve. But I can imagine what he wants.  
_It took a few minutes while she was packing her suitcase, then there was another knock.  
"Enter", she answered, standing up.  
Keahi opened the door again. Next to him was Steve's partner, with a visitor's pass and no weapon, as she noticed with a quick glance.  
"Detective Williams, ma'am."  
"Thank you, Keahi."  
Williams pushed past him into the room. Keahi paused in the door and looked for her.  
"Thanks, Petty Officer," she repeated, nodding. He turned and closed the door quietly behind him.  
"Detective Williams. Have a seat. What can I do for you? ", She asked emphatically and took a seat again.  
Ignoring the chair she had offered him, he stood up in front of her desk. "What game are you playing with Steve and my daughter?" He hissed.  
"Excuse me?"  
"Oh come on. It's one thing Steve got a crush on you in no time, that he wants to marry you in six weeks. Which doesn't get in my head, by the way. But what does Grace have to do with it? Do you want to drag them to your side or what? "  
"Detective ..."  
"I'm not going to allow Grace to suffer when this game is over here!"  
Sara sat up and raised her voice. "Detective! Enough! "She snapped at him before continuing at normal volume. "I don't play games. And there are no sides here. When I received the request for the Vice Admiral's file last year, I never dreamed that any of that could happen here. But I love Steve. I loved him in Annapolis back then. And I was terribly sad and hurt when there was no response to my letters when I was on duty. The fact that it made zoom again when I came to Hawaii was a big surprise and close to a miracle. And it's also a miracle for me that Steve really wants me. After all, I was married before and I am damaged good. I don't marry him for the money either. It wouldn't make any sense if, at best, you could try to turn the whole thing around and blame him. I got transferred, moved to Hawaii for him. And as for Grace: Since the accident with the bike courier, we like each other. She loves her uncle Steve. She helped him choose my ring. I have no friends on the island who could help me find a dress. And none that are of the right age and close enough to just fly over. So I asked Grace if she wanted to be my bridesmaid. My and Steve's nieces become flower girls. That's all."  
Williams dropped into the visitor chair. "Please, slow down. Who doesn't marry whom because of the money? What damaged goods?"  
"I don't marry Steve because I need a provider or to economically redevelop myself," Sara repeated. "Steve hasn't told you who my father was, I suppose, otherwise this accusation would not be in the room."  
"No, he hasn't."  
"I'm from Columbia, South Carolina. My father was Gerald P. Anderson. "  
"You are the daughter of Big G ?!"  
Now she had Williams' full attention. "Yes. Although I usually don't spread that around. At the beginning of my Navy career it only caused problems because I always had to prove to my superiors that the daughter of 'Big G' can do more than carrying a big name. In the meantime I have developed a reputation for myself. I inherited a trust fund from my father so I am economically independent. But that's also something that I don't tell everywhere. I make my own money, I take it more as an emergency stock. Steve knows about it and it is no problem between us. He knew my father. "  
"Okay." Apparently, this information had successfully distracted him from the second aspect and that wasn't wrong with her either. She waited while he thought about what was said. "And you really want to have Grace as a bridesmaid because you like her? And not to influence me in any way? "  
"I don't know where you got your negative image of women from or why you disrespect your daughter so much, but I don't see Grace as a leverage or something like that. I can live with it if you don't like me. I just think it's a shame because you and Steve are partners and good friends. But you don't have to protect either of them from me."  
Williams protested, "I don't disrespect Grace."  
"No?"  
"No! She and her brother Charly are my everything. I love my children. It wasn't easy for Grace when her mother and I broke up and Rachel married again. There was a lot of bad blood back then. We now have a relatively good relationship, partly because of Charly. "  
"I'm glad to hear that."

* * *

Always appreciate to read what you're thinking about the story and the characters.


	23. Chapter 23

Williams was silent for a moment, then cleared his throat. "You know ... His past relationships didn't go so well. He was with Catherine for a long time. She was in the Navy too, but ... a restless mind. Many missions, she 's been away for long time again and again and yet they were very tight. Shortly before he wanted to propose to her, she was up and away again. One too many times. He was devastated. It later turned out that there was a job for the government, but she lied to him and there was already too much broken. "  
"Steve hinted at something like that. I could see it hurt him a lot. However, I will be away from here sometimes, too. "  
"Like Thanksgiving? What did you actually do in Europe? "  
Sara smiled and said nothing.  
Williams groaned. "I know this facial play from Steve. Next he says, 'I neither confirm nor deny'. Mister mysterious SEAL."  
"You might hear this sentence from me occasionally as well, Detective."  
"Tell me about it. Some time later, Lynn came, who in the end turned out to be a bitch. "  
"I don't care about that details, Detective. It was clear that we both have a certain past, we are no longer sixteen."  
"Okay, okay. Will you work for Five-0 again? "  
"If you need me. In any case, the Navy approved it, Steve made an agreement with them and the governor. Do you have any more questions? Otherwise I would have one."  
"Please." He made a prompt gesture.  
"Do you think you can live with me marrying Steve and Grace becoming my bridesmaid?"  
"As if it had an impact if I said no. I hope it's not going to be a Giganto South Carolina wedding?"  
"Definitely not. My mother did that the first time and it got terrible. My father hated it, our friends hated it, my late husband and I hated it. This time she's out of the game. Completely. This is going to be a beach wedding with friends. With the Ohana, as you say here in Hawaii. With pastor, but Hawaiian. Is that a yes?", Sara made sure.  
"I like that. Yes, I can live with it. I ... would like to apologize. I burst in here like a herd of angry elephants. "  
"I blame it on caring for your daughter and a close friend. Everything okay?"  
"Yes. Maybe we... My name is Danny."  
"Sara."  
They shook hands across the table.  
"Grace mentioned you want to go buy a dress for her tomorrow. When is she supposed to be where?"  
"I'll pick her up around eleven. So she can get a good night's sleep, "laughed Sara.  
He laughed too. "Teenager..."  
"I know. We can leave together, I was just finishing work. "  
"It would be better, cause I might probably struggle finding out here on my own. And your watchdog outside eats me in the end."  
"He's just doing his job and right good." She got up and went around the desk. When she tried to reach for her briefcase, her shoe caught on a carpet fold. Danny had just got up and could barely catch her before sprawling. So she just landed on her knees. She swore.  
"Bloody hell. Let go of me please, it's not that easy. - Keahi!" The next moment the door opened and the petty officer stood in front of them with the gun at the ready. "Hands off!"  
"Cut the crap! Put the gun down and help me up. Detective Williams only prevented me from worse. "  
Keahi gave Danny a warning look, then followed the command, went around the table, reached under her arms from behind, and pulled her up. "Are you all right, ma'am?"  
"I'm good. Petty Officer, find Lieutenant Kekuna. Tell him if I come back from Coronado on Friday and that damn carpet is still in here, I'll get him rolled up in it and sank in the Pacific outside the three-mile zone as a human burrito. He shouldn't have put carpet in here at all."  
At the side of the room, she saw Danny trying hard not to grin. Keahi nodded. "Aye, ma'am. With pleasure."  
"I am sure of that. But there has to happen something finally before something serious happens."  
"Aye, ma'am. Have a nice weekend, "said the young soldier, greeted and left.  
"Thanks, you too."  
Sara carefully tested the mobility of her legs, then reached for the briefcase again.  
"Interesting idea, even if I don't know this Kekuna," joked Danny. "However, you sounded pretty like Steve, no wonder you get along so well. Human burrito. How do you get that? "  
"Too many visits to Kamekona, I suppose. Please don't tell Steve about this. Otherwise, Kekuna does not end up as a burrito, but in small parts as fish food. "  
Danny raised his eyebrows. "OK. The guy doesn't seem to be very popular. "  
Sara groaned as she locked the office door. "He isn't. Above all, he is horribly awkward and slow. The instructions from Norfolk for my office explicitly stated: No trip hazards, no open cables and above all no carpet. What do i get? The only office in this damned building that has carpet in it and then sloppy done. It was not my first fall in the past few weeks, only this time it was not that hard thanks to you. "  
"At least that."  
They took the elevator down and Danny got his gun back at the gate. The watchman looked closely from Sara to him, whereupon she nodded and also wished him a nice weekend.  
It was only a few meters from the exit of the building to her car. She used the remote control and put the briefcase in the trunk.  
"The disabled parking lot?" Danny remarked. "Isn't that illegal?"  
"No. I am authorized to do so. Shall I take you to your car? I assume you're parking close to the gate. "She recognized his astonished look.  
"Uh, yes. Thanks, that would be nice. It's almost at headquarters." He went around the car and sat in the passenger seat while Sara slowly got in and settled in. She put her phone in the holder on the dashboard, then started the car and drove off.  
Danny was silent until she stopped next to his Camaro.  
"You only drive with your hands?", He finally asked, pointing to the hand throttle ring on the steering wheel. Sara nodded. She briefly described his handicap to him. "That explains the parking lot at the house. And the thing about the carpet. But otherwise you can't notice it. "  
"If I didn't fall, as I just did, or have flown too much, I actually have no problems as long as I don't exaggerate activity. Hours of hiking without a break or miles of swimming excursions exceed my possibilities. But since the accident I have been training with the physiotherapists every week, so I can walk again and live a close to normal life. "  
"Respect for this achievement. We'll see you tomorrow when you pick up Grace."  
"Thank you. See you."  
Danny got out. Just as he shut the door and waved to her, her phone rang. "Answer the call," she ordered the voice control, then steered her car to the exit.  
"Hey Sara, where are you?" Steve asked.  
"I'm just leaving the base. On the way home I wanted to jump into the supermarket, but then straight home. Where are you?"  
"Already on the patio. We don't have much work at the moment and Danny has also left earlier. I thought we could enjoy the weekend together before you fly on Monday. Apart from your shopping tour with Grace tomorrow. "  
"Good idea. Shopping shouldn't take that long either. I'm pretty sure we'll find the right one quickly. There is already a shortlist. Should I bring anything special with me? "  
"Just yourself."  
"OK. See you soon."  
"See you," Steve said goodbye.


	24. Chapter 24

Grace was already waiting in front of the house when Sara pulled up on Saturday morning. When she turned off the engine, her father came out. Sara lowered the passenger window and greeted him "Hello Danny".  
"Hi Sara. Have fun shopping, monkey, "he said to his daughter, who looked at him suspiciously and then quickly ran to the car.  
"What's wrong with him?", she asked as Sara drove off.  
"Why?"  
"When he came home yesterday, he was totally lost in thought. And now he greets you. And he smiles. And you're on first name base now. Do I have to understand that?"  
"As you like. We had a conversation yesterday and clarified a few things."  
"Ahaa ..."  
"But that's not that important either. I thought a little bit about what kind of dress we could choose for you. The flower girls wear light blue."  
"I take everything but pink. "  
"No, that doesn't fit. Neither on the occasion nor on the environment. Let's see."  
They drove together to the shop where Sara had ordered her wedding dress. There she had three clothes in different shades of blue put away for Grace. The girl let out a whoop of joy as they were led into the dressing room. "Sara, they are awesome. I would wear all three. How did you do this?"  
"It's called knowledge of human nature," Sara said with a smile. "That's my job. Just try them on and I'll tell you which one is my favorite. And then we'll see if we agree."  
"Okay."

The sales assistant helped Grace in all three dresses one after the other and she turned in front of the mirror like a little girl in a princess costume. It was a pleasure to watch her.  
"So what do you think?", she finally asked when Grace was back in the bathrobe the sales assistant had given her.  
"What is your favorite?"  
"I'll tell you then."  
Grace grimaced. "I like the darkest one best, the one with the ruffled front and the narrow glitter belt. The one with the tip is nice, but it doesn't really suit me. And the third is too short, it would Danno get freaking out. "  
"Okay. Then I can tell you the dark one is also my favourite. The shape is very similar to my dress. Just a little shorter and colored. Now put it on again so that she can do the fitting."  
"Really? But..."  
"Go on," Sara laughed and gave her a pat.  
"Crazy!" Grace squeaked. She hopped up and down like a rubber ball, but then kept silent until the dress was removed.  
When she was back in her own clothes, she ran up to Sara and hugged her. "Thank you, thank you, thank you. That's great. And that I can be a bridesmaid. And everything. I was really scared, Danno forbids me because he doesn't like you. But whatever you said yesterday seemed to have really helped. "  
Sara thanked the saleswoman, then made their way outside. As she walked, she said, "You know, Grace, when you're concerned about someone, sometimes you can be too hard and rude to someone you consider a threat. You can't blame him for that. We have clarified that and now we're good."  
"Okay. Do you actually know that it is really fascinating to watch you drive a car? "  
Sara opened the car. "Fascinating?"  
"Yes. Some women can hardly manage it at all and you do it all with your hands. Don't you ever get confused?"  
"It would be pretty dangerous if I got confused. It is a matter of concentration. At the beginning nobody was allowed to speak to me while driving, conversations were impossible. In the meantime, I can even make calls using voice control. I've been driving like this for a long time now."  
"Right. Skill comes with practice. My grandma always always says that. It's kind of stupid, but it's also true. "

XXXXXXXX

After Sara's return from Coronado, the last few weeks flew by. Her threat had worked, the carpet had been replaced with laminate on her next working day.  
A few days before the wedding, Mary flew in from Los Angeles with Joan to help Sara with the final preparations. They had rented tents, a big one for the party and a smaller one, in which Sara would change. In the middle between the tents, which were set up directly on the beach, the place was created where they would be married under a flower arch among their friends. They had obtained permission to put a makeshift gangplank in the sand to reduce the risk of falling for Sara.  
Sara went to the office for the last time three days before the wedding. In the evening, she and Steve turned into the driveway to the house one after the other and met at the front door, where they greeted each other with a hug and an intimate kiss.  
"Did I tell you today that I love you?" Steve asked, hugging her.  
"Yes. But that was far too long ago."  
"Okay. I love you, Sara, "he said softly and kissed her on the top of the head. A melodious ringtone came from the pocket of her jacket. Steve released her so that she could get the cell phone out.  
"This is Liam," she explained and answered: "Hello?"  
Only sobs sounded from the phone. "Hello?" Sara repeated. "Zoe, is that you?"  
"I'm so sorry, Aunt Sara. It's all so terrible."  
"Nothing is so terrible that you have to cry like that, honey. Put your daddy on the phone."  
She felt Steve's confused look on herself and turned the speaker on.  
"Hi, Sara?"  
"Hello, Liam. What is wrong with our sunshine? She sounds terrible. What is she so sorry for?"  
"Unfortunately there is no good news, Sara. We can not come."  
"Oh, why is that?" Sara asked, trying not to let her disappointment sound up to much.  
"Zoe fell off the balance beam in physical education this morning and broke her foot. The doctor in the hospital has issued a flight ban."  
"Oh no! What a pity."  
"Yes, that's a real shame. We would have liked to visit you in Hawaii. I know that this is all pretty bad, now you also lack the bridesman. And for God's sake you shouldn't postpone everything. That even impossible."  
"No, almost everything is ready. The tents will be set up in the morning. Then we have to come up with something. But we will definitely make up for the visit. The next vacation is sure to come and by then Zoe will be allowed to travel again. Put her over to me, please."  
She could hear someone blowing her nose in the background, then her niece answered. "Aunt Sara?"  
"Sweetie, I know, this really sucks. But I'm making a suggestion. I'll send your dress to you, then you can put it on for the summer party at school, right? "  
"That would be great. And you are certainly not angry with me? "  
"Absolutely not. That was an accident, things like that happen. Sure it's a shame you can't come, but we'll send you pictures, right? "  
"Yes, thank you, Aunt Sara."  
"Get well soon, Zoe."  
"Thank you."  
"And greet your daddy," Sara asked.  
"I do!" her niece replied and hung up.

During the conversation, she and Steve had sat on the sofa, now they looked at each other sadly. "And now?" Sara finally asked. "Zoe's absence as a flower girl is still manageable, but what am I gonna do without a bridesman?"  
"Hm. You don't necessarily need a marriage witness. And bridesman? Can you think of someone else who could take on the task? Or..."  
"I know what you want to ask. I don't know if I can make it over the planks safely. Don't get me wrong, the idea was brilliant. But I don't think of it as a pleasant idea to fall in front of the whole audience. "  
"You won't, I have complete confidence in you, Sara. Do you think I haven't noticed you doubled your training workload since the beginning of the year? Sometimes I was really afraid that you would push it too hard. Sara, I love you the way you are. You don't have to do a triathlon for me, you just have to be there. That is completely enough for me ", assured Steve and looked into his fiancee's eyes.  
Finally Sara nodded. "Okay."  
"You can do it. Definitely."  
"Thanks, Steve. I don't know how to tell you how much this backing means to me. I love you too."  
Instead of an answer, he pulled her into his arms, looked her in the eyes, and kissed her lovingly.


	25. Chapter 25

The night before the wedding, Steve stayed with Danny after both promised not to overdo the bachelor party. Sara had some doubts about that because two of Steve's former comrades were part of the group and Chin Ho had flown in to attend the wedding. She herself enjoyed a spa evening at the Hilton Hotel with Mary and Grace and a Navy friend while Kono, who had accompanied her cousin, babysat Joan.  
On the morning of the wedding day, a hairdresser and stylist came to Steve's house to style and dress up Mary, Joan, Grace, and the bride. The wedding was planned to start at three, at one-thirty the four drove to the beach in Mary's rental car. Their clothes and flowers were waiting for them there in the tent, everyone was still wearing casual leisure clothes. The men would meet them there.

When they got out of the parking lot at Sherwood Beach and walked towards the dressing tent, a flash of light caught Sara's attention. Grace almost ran into her when she stopped abruptly and shielded her eyes with her hand to see better.  
"Everything okay?, asked the girl, but she didn't answer, instead she focused on the far end of the parking lot, trying to see more. Then she continued to the tent. Mary released the tarpaulin to close the tent.  
"Grace, my phone is in the big blue bag you're carrying."  
"Sara, you're getting married in less than an hour. Don't you have to do anything better ... "  
"Grace, my phone," Sara repeated. The girl obviously understood that she was serious and handed the cell to her after a moment. Grace watched her dial a number.  
"TSA Hawaii."  
"This is Lieutenant Commander Sara Anderson, US Navy. Can you please check if a Jesse Kettler from Columbia, South Carolina has landed on the island in the past few days."  
"Just a moment, ma'am", she heard the man type and mumble something. Then he answered: "Ma'am, a man of that name landed on the island with Hawaiian 591 on Monday afternoon. Is there anything else I can do for you? "  
"No thanks." Sara pressed the end of the call button.  
Before realizing her legs were shaking, Mary had pushed her into a chair. "Easy. We don't want to risk you falling now. What's happening?"  
She swallowed several times, then Sara asked: "Grace, can you please bring your Dad and Chin here?"  
"Sure." The girl looked at her worriedly for a moment, then hurried out of the tent.

Steve stood in a group of men next to the flower arch, under which he and Sara were about to say yes. He had welcomed the guests and seen from a distance that his fiancee had already arrived. But somehow he just couldn't get rid of a strange feeling. This increased when Grace came out of the tent and ran towards them.  
"Danno, can you come over please? And Chin?"  
Her father turned to her. "Are you sure? Chin and me? "  
"Yes, Sara said you two. Are you coming?", she urged.  
Steve intervened. "Grace, are you all right? I..."  
"Yes,we're, Uncle Steve. If only the two gentlemen could go a little faster, you could get married on time ... ", she continued to push.  
"Uh, how ..." Steve managed to get out when his two friends turned away and followed Danny's daughter into the dressing room.  
Sara was still sitting in the chair, her phone in her hand, as Danny peeked carefully through the entrance. "May we come in?"  
"Yes, please." She pushed herself out of the chair.  
"What's going on?" Danny asked when the two men were standing in front of her. "You look worried."  
She flipped through the photos on her phone, then held the device out to the men. Chin took it. "Who is this?"  
"The man on the photo is Jesse Dean Kettler. He calls himself JDK. He is forty-six years old and his tax form says he is a photographer. Papparazzi and Stalker would be more correct. He's also on my mother's payroll."  
Danny also looked at the photo. "Okay. But how do you come up with that right now? For my terms, we shouldn't be in here now so you can put on your wedding dress."  
"You are right, Danny. When you arrived, did you see the red impala in the back of the parking lot?"  
"Yes?"  
"Kettler is leaning against this with a camera with a telephoto lens. I just called TSA, he's been on the island for five days. "  
"But how does he know you're here? Or about today's event? "Chin asked.  
"After I moved here, I had to adapt certain things. My driving license, insurances, and so on. Also notify the trust fund manager. And the court. Something has leaked somewhere."  
"The court?"  
"Yes. With his presence, Kettler violates a restraining order. It has been in existence for eight years and is registered in almost all states because I travel regularly."  
"So the man shouldn't be here at all?" Danny made sure.  
"Exactly."  
"At what distance does the order apply?" Asked Chin, who had meanwhile pulled his own phone out of his pocket.  
"Five hundred meters. I suspect that my mother sent him here to launch a few headlines about her unfaithful daughter, whom she didn't invite to the wedding. And possibly a few other stories. "  
"If he's been on the island for five days, he has had plenty of time to take photos and gather information," Danny added.  
Chin had made a phone call. "Sara, there will be two patrol cars here in five minutes and the colleagues will arrest the guy. I have notified a friend in the crime lab who will immediately take care of all the memory cards that we find on Kettler, as well as his notebook. At least for the next twenty-four hours, he is guaranteed not to take any more photos, they will keep him in custody. "  
"Thanks, Chin."  
"Nothing to thank for. Until the HPD is there, we'll take care of it. "  
"But be nice to him in God's name." The men looked at her as if she had lost her mind. "No, I didn't go crazy. But my mother pays his lawyers. It took a lot of effort to get this order, if you arrest him now, everything has to be meticulously following the law."  
"We'll take care of it." Danny followed his former colleague to the tent entrance, where he turned again. "Does Steve know about this JDK thing?"  
Sara looked down. "No. I registered the order long before we met again. And the man has stuck to it for the past few years. So far it had not been necessary."  
"Okay," Danny just nodded. Sara had no problem understanding what he wanted to say.

Steve listened to the conversation with one ear as he watched the two men come out of the tent and head for the parking lot. Sirens approached, then he saw two HPD cars come to a halt behind the trees. He was about to start running when Grover stopped him. "Hey, that's not your business here today. There are enough competent people up there, you take care of your guests."  
"But..."  
"Nothing 'but'. The big Steve McGarrett also has to let go. Nothing 's gonna happen to your wife-to-be. "  
A few minutes passed, then Chin came back to them.  
"What the hell was going on, Chin ?!" he snapped. "What did Sara want? What is the HPD here for?"  
"We only drove out an uninvited guest. Everything okay. Come down Steve, otherwise you will get a heart attack before you even said yes. "  
"Easy for you to say..."

By now in the tent Mary had changed and Sara was just pulling up the zipper on Grace's dress. The girl turned in front of the mirror. "It just looks great. That you now can take care of that... "  
"Grace, I can't help the men, not physically. But I know Steve only works with the best, so they can do it. I trust him and them."  
Grace hugged her spontaneously.  
"Knock Knock. There's a man here," came from the closed tent entrance.  
"Come in, Danno," Grace called. Her father stuck his head in, then he spotted his daughter.  
"Wow. Monkey, is that you? Can I still call you monkey? You look so grown up. I'm speachless. The dress is great, "he speaked.  
"Thanks, Dad," Grace said blushing. "Did you get rid of the guy?"  
"Yes. The guys from HPD put him into lock-up. We quickly found four memory cards, two cameras and a notebook. But the HPD takes care that his hotel room is being checked too. Everything goes to Eric at the lab, who looks at the things and calls us."  
"Thank you, Danny," Sara said softly, she could hear her voice trembling. She saw Grace go to her father and they talked in a whisper. The girl jabbed her elbow in his side and he took a step towards her.  
"Sara, I ... know from Steve that your brother-in-law who should be your bridesman couldn't come. And that you wanted to do it alone. With the incident now ... If you feel safer when someone walks next to you ... I would do that ... "  
"Danny, I don't know if I can ask that from you ... We didn't get off to a good start, and now, after such a short time ..."  
"It would be an honor for me," he said.  
For a moment they just looked at each other. Then Sara nodded. "Thank you. Can you wait outside, we still need about ten minutes? I don't really want to get married in this outfit, "she pointed to her T-shirt and casual trousers.  
"Course. I'm right out here. See you soon."

The women helped Sara in her wedding dress while Joan sat quietly in a corner and watched. "Wow," Mary finally said as she hooked the zipper on and closed the belt. Then she straightened again the flowers Sara wore on her hair instead of a veil. "The dress is actually really simple. But with you in it and this glitter belt ... My brother is really having more luck than brain. Joanie, come here, here is your basket. You know, the leaves just on the edge so that Sara doesn't slide, right? "  
"Yes, mom."  
"OK. I'll go ahead and give the signal that we're ready to start."

* * *

Don't forget your review ;)


	26. Chapter 26

Steve saw his sister come out of the tent and exchange a few words with Danny. Then she came up to them. The dark blue dress they had chosen for her looked wonderful, his heart warmed when he saw her like that.  
"We're ready," she said when she reached him.  
"What is Danny doing there?"  
"Small change of plans."  
"Aha."  
"Don't worry, she's coming soon." Mary raised her voice a little. "Ladies and gentlemen, if you would please take your seats now."  
It took a moment, then everyone followed her request.

Steve had taken his place next to the pastor, then he saw Danny send Joan away. The little girl had practiced the route several times and she arrived without any problem at her mother, who was in the front row. She was followed by Grace, who looked incredibly grown up in the long dress. Kamekona blew on a pu, a large shell, as was the Hawaiian tradition. The next moment, however, everyone around him was forgotten when Sara stepped out of the tent and grabbed Danny's offered arm. He didn't quite understand how it happened, but they would explain it to him later. Only the sound of the waves accompanied the bride's entry and soon she stood in front of him in her beautiful dress. He didn't care what that style was called, but she looked beautiful with the top, the gathering of which ended in a narrow belt just below the chest, and the flowing long skirt. For a moment he felt almost underdressed with his shirt and light trousers, but then he remembered that Sara wanted him that way. With a wink, Danny handed over his bride to him before sitting down in the front row.

Sara handed her bouquet of flowers over to Grace, then turned to him.  
"You look incredible," he whispered to her.  
"Thank you."  
The pastor had followed her request and held only a short speach before moving on to the actual wedding. They took each other's hands. The priest first asked Steve if he wanted Sara to be his wife, whereupon he said his promise.  
"I, Steven John McGarrett, promise before God and these witnesses to love, respect and honor you, in good and bad days, health and sickness, to protect you, to be faithful and always there for you as long as we both shall live. "  
Sara also gave her marriage vows: "I, Sara Renée Anderson, promise before God and these witnesses to love, respect and honor you, in good and bad days, health and sickness, to protect you, to be faithful and always there for you as long as we both shall live. "  
Steve put a narrow white gold ring with a tiny diamond on her finger over her engagement ring. Although he initially refused, Sara finally persuaded him to put a simple, engraved ring on his ring finger. The pastor declared them legitimately married and their friends applauded when he and Sara kissed. Then there was silence when the pastor stepped aside and Kawika took over his place. His friend put their hands on each other and called on the blessings of the Hawaiian gods. He handed them two leis made of snow-white flowers, which they put on each others neck. Finally he hugged them both and congratulated them. Applause rose again, Steve pulled Sara into his arms and they kissed deeply. He enjoyed the feeling of holding her in his arms, but finally he paused and let go so that she could take his arm. When planning the wedding, he remembered that logistics officer Hank was a passionate photographer in his spare time, and invited him to take a few impressions with the camera at the wedding. Now he ordered them under the arch so he could take some nice pictures, also with the pastor and with Kawika, then they went across the footbridge to the big tent for the party. There was a long table for the guests and a buffet on the front with their favorite dishes and selected  
Hawaiian specialties. Soft music came from cleverly hung loudspeakers as they received their friends' congratulations.  
"What do you think of a dance?" He finally whispered in his wife's ear. "Or just a break?"  
Instead of an answer, Sara waved to Grover, who operated the music system, and the next moment the sounds of 'Queen of my heart' sounded. He led her to the middle of the dance floor and they began to move slowly in time. When the song was over, he took her to their seats in the middle of the board and they sat down while the music picked up speed and the other guests filled the dance floor.  
"Do you like it?" Steve asked his wife and kissed her.  
"Yes. Very. This is exactly what I imagined. A celebration all for us, with people we like. Quite relaxed on the beach. "  
"I like it too. Who did Chin and Danny hand over to the HPD earlier? "  
"An annoying paparazzi. He was probably here on behalf of my mother. But that's all already done," she explained evasively.  
"Sara ... I know you can't tell me everything about your job. That's okay, there are also things I cannot tell you. But please, have no private secrets from me. I love you, I want to know something like that. "He gently turned her head to face him so that he could look her in the eyes. She nodded. He pulled her to him. "I love you."  
The next moment Danny stood behind them. "Well, you lovebirds. It is wonderful to get married in such a place. Although I think that our SEAL-Man would have preferred to get married somewhere in the mud in brown camouflage. Armed to the teeth and under enemy fire. He feels completely naked without a gun on his belt, "he quipped.  
Steve saw Sara raise her eyebrows. "The man who was walking around with a tie in Hawaii during the first years had been teasing me like this from day one. But now New Jersey and I get along well. We balance each other out a bit and rubbed off each other a bit. However, you will never see me with a tie on the island, except in a dress uniform, "he explained.  
Sara's smile widened. "I think I can imagine it. I'll probably have to chat a little with Kono. It's just a shame that she moved away from the island, I learned so much from her about the culture here. And she had a lot to tell about both of you. "  
"Only half of it is true and that is still exaggerated," Danny said quickly. Together they burst out laughing. Then Steve got serious again.  
"Thank you for leading Sara to the altar. I can only guess how it came about, but I was very happy."  
Danny smiled. "It was an honor for me. And now I'm going to dance with my terribly grown-up daughter. The dress you chose for her is really great. "  
"Thank you," Sara nodded. "It was also her first choice, I didn't force her in."  
"All the better. You continue to whisper sweet nothings to each other."  
He moved on and asked Grace, who put her head together with Grover's son, to dance.  
They partied until the wee hours of the morning before Danny drove them to the Hilton, where they would spend the rest of the wedding night and honeymoon. They had decided to stay in Hawaii and switch to the other islands at most once, so as not to put Sara through a long flight.


	27. Chapter 27

It was past eleven in the morning when Steve finally crawled out of bed. "I'll order coffee and something to eat. Stay here, I'll serve you breakfast in bed, "he announced with a smile and kissed Sara on the forehead before walking into the living room of the suite. He ordered fresh fruit, toast and coffee from the room service, then put on a T-shirt and shorts. A good ten minutes passed before there was a knock on the door. His surprise could not have been bigger when Danny and Chin entered the suite behind the waiter with the trolley.  
"What in God's name are you doing here?" He asked, signing the receipt and tipping the waiter.  
"I have instructed the room service to let us know when you are up. We have to show you something, "explained Danny. "I brought Chin with me, as you know, I'm not a great technician." He pointed to the tablet PC that his former colleague had in his hand. The detective held his suspicious look.  
"OK. Give us five minutes. Take a coffee."  
Without waiting for an answer, he turned and went into the bedroom, closing the door behind him. He sat on the edge of the bed next to Sara.  
"I don't smell coffee," she sighed, eyes closed.  
"Sara?"  
She seemed to hear his concern because she immediately opened her eyelids and started to pry up. "What's happening?"  
"The waiter served Danny and Chin along with our breakfast. They want to show us something. It seems to be important, otherwise they would hardly be here."  
"OK. Just give me time to get dressed. "  
"Sure. I'm sorry our honeymoon starts like this. "  
"Life is not a picnic. But it started well, "she said with a suggestive grin, then left the bed and went to the wardrobe.  
When they came into the living room hand in hand a few minutes later, Danny and Chin were sitting on the sofa, each holding a coffee mug, talking quietly. They both apologized again for the disturbance, then the honeymooners also took a seat.  
Chin cleared his throat. "Danny asked me to help him here because I helped him with the arrest yesterday. And we didn't want this to go around in the whole team. Apart from the two of us, only Eric knows something and he encrypted everything and protected it with a password. "  
Danny nodded: "I made clear to him that he has to keep his big mouth under control."  
"Wait a minute," Steve interrupted. "My last info was that you got a paparazzi away. When did the whole thing take on such dimensions here? "  
"When Eric saw the hard drives from Kettler's hotel room. Sara ... ", Danny's unmistakable request came to his wife. She briefly explained to him about the identity of the man and the restraining order he had violated the previous day. He struggled to remain calm as she described how the man had been chasing her on behalf of her mother, trying to get potentially compromising photos.  
"He has stuck to it for the past few years, I haven't caught him in ages," she justified her discretion.  
"It would still have been better if you told me," said Steve.  
"Maybe," Chin said. "Take a look at this. That's a small selection from the approximately eight hundred pictures Kettler has taken on the island in the past few days." He held out the tablet PC. "You can take it, it belongs to Five-0, I transferred the photos. Kettler's devices are locked up in the HPD laboratory. "  
Steve took the Tablet and started scrolling through the directory. It started harmlessly with beach shots and a sunset. But then came pictures of their house, their car, himself in front of the headquarters. Sara at the entrance to the base, Sara while shopping. Sara with Grace in front of the flower shop. The beach with the tents. He and Sara in the little bistro where they had dinner on Wednesday night. He and Danny in front of a commercial building in town where they interviewed a witness. Sara had watched the pictures and was now quite pale.  
"That ... is ... I can't believe it. I didn't notice him. "  
Steve put a hand on her shoulder. "None of us has. But this is such a serious violation of the restraining order, this will earn him some time."  
"Not if my mother hires him a lawyer again."  
"That won't help him either," Danny said. "Eric discovered more on one of the hard drives from his hotel room. That is harmless. "  
"You call that harmless ?!" Steve started.  
"Mhm."  
Chin took the tablet from him, typed, then handed it back. He recognized his parents' house again.  
"I already had this picture."  
"Take a closer look. At the bottom of the picture is the date of the shot." As a former SEAL, he was trained to stay calm in all situations, but now he almost dropped the device. The picture read April 15, 1998. At the next shot, he also recognized the color of the front door and the freshly planted tree at the gate, which was several meters high today.  
"Keep looking," Chin said emphatically.  
More photos of the house followed, pictures of his father. Then pictures of himself in navy uniform. He recognized the buildings in the background.  
"This is Naval College in Annapolis. I lived there. And here this is in Norfolk. And Maryland." The data moved over a period of about three years. Then suddenly pictures appeared in which Sara and he could be seen together. Sometimes in uniform, sometimes in civilian clothes, in everyday situations.  
"That's ... What's coming?" Sara asked next to him in horror, sounding as if she didn't really want an answer. Chin took the tablet without a word, opened another directory and held it out to her.  
The pictures were younger according to the shooting date. They showed Sara in the beige uniform, next to her a young, blonde soldier in camouflage dress. She ran her finger briefly over the picture.  
"Is that ...?" Steve asked quietly.  
"This is Robin. Shortly afterwards we got engaged. What in God's name is this? "She flipped through hectically. Pictures of Sara in an expansive wedding dress, surrounded by uniforms with so many medals on the chest that you were almost blinded, with Robin's hand, both with a forced, tortured smile. The two of them in a street cafe, in civilian clothes, both had an exhausted facial expression, fresh scars were visible on his arm. Photos of a highway, a curve with damaged bushes ...  
Next to him, Sara jumped up and hurried towards the bedroom. He wanted to follow her, but she cried, "Leave me!"  
So he stopped, then went back to the sofa.  
"Shall I go?" Danny asked quietly, which Steve answered with shaking his head.  
He tried to block out the faint noises his sharp ears heard from the bathroom as he looked through one picture at a time. Now his wife was the main motive. Sara in a wheelchair, with horrible looking splints on her legs, an arm in plaster and cuts on her face. Another picture with a wheelchair, the legs in other splints, the wounds almost healed, but she became emaciated. Sara with a therapist and walking aids on a path in a park. For a moment he remembered pictures of a visit with Danny to a Veterans Rehab Center in San Diego. It had been some time ago that they had been there, but it just felt like yesterday.


	28. Chapter 28

p style="text-align: left;""That must be the time after the accident," Danny commented quietly next to him, while Steve fought hard against anger and horror. When he came to a photo of Sara in dark uniform at a large funeral with military honors, worn out and unkempt with a walking stick in her hand, he could not continue. He tossed Chin the tablet, hurried into the bedroom, and knocked on the bathroom /"Sara?"br /He didn't get an answer, so he carefully pushed the doorknob. It wasn't locked. Steve opened the door and saw Sara sitting on the floor between the shower and the open toilet. Her eyes were red and she looked slightly apathetic. He closed the toilet lid and flushed it, then gently took her on his arms and carried her to the bed, where he sat down without letting go. He hugged her and gently stroked her /"I will make sure that the guy is really cracked up so that he doesn't get out before his ninetieth birthday. And that he will be taken off the island today, otherwise he won't have his next birthday anymore. What he did on behalf of your mother is absolutely insane. That's inhuman. Even if you don't have the order as long as the photos are old, but it still violates a lot of laws."br /"Please don't do anything stupid, Steve," Sara /"I promise. Can we go back to Chin and Danny to discuss how to proceed?"br /"Mhm." He wanted to lift her up, but she protested. "Please, let me down. I'm not a baby, I don't want to be carried around. As long as I can walk I'll do it. Give me your hand."br /He hesitantly followed her request. She took his hand, and even if it wasn't quick, but they walked back to the living room /The two waiting men got up when they came. The tablet was laying on the table, switched /"I'm really sorry I shocked you so much," Chin apologized. "The judge declined bail this morning. My plane to San Francisco leaves at five, I'd take Kettler with me. We can deal with the paperwork afterwards. He has violated the order in several states, making it a case for a federal court. That might take some time. But that's the fastest way getting him from the island and you can digest this here and enjoy your honeymoon."br /"Thank you, Chin," Sara replied softly. "And thank you for treating this as a classified information, the last thing I want is a leak somewhere and this ending up in the newspaper."br /"We'll know how to prevent that," Danny said. "We'll get rid of JDK and you'll lie down in the sun," he said, standing up. They said goodbye to Chin again with a hug, then their friends left the /Steve stepped to the serving cart and poured himself some of the coffee. "Would you like something to eat?"br /"Just a piece of toast. Can you order me some tea, please? "br /"Sure, come soon." He picked up the phone and followed her request, then sat down next to her on the sofa. "Don`t blame yourself. I didn't notice him either. It looks like he had a dossier on me back then. But why?"br /Sara laughed humorlessly. "Can't you think of that? My mother may have collected material about you. That was the time when you already graduated and I got into last year. So the planning for Norfolk started. And I suspect he was here to check your background. Half-orphan, son of a police officer from Hawaii ... If I think about it for some time, I might get the idea that she also had her hands on the missing letters to you."br /"You want to tell me your mother has somebody in the military mail service? That is absolutely illegal. "br /"One of various options. And it would be absolutely fit her MO, as you would say. ... I can't even think about this, it's getting me even more sick."br /Steve pulled her close. "Then forget it. It doesn't change the past. And we are in the now, we are together and have a future together in which she has no place and will have no place." He kissed her gently. "Turn your head off, yes?"br /"I try hard."br /During the course of the day, the two of them were able to calm themselves down enough to spend the rest of their honeymoon. They flew to Moloka'i for a week, where they enjoyed the tranquility of nature and were completely alone./p  
p style="text-align: center;"br /XXXXXX/p  
p style="text-align: left;""Great. What was it this time?"br /Steve winced and almost dropped the cool pack he had just taken out of the freezer. Pretending being cool, he closed the icebox of the refrigerator and turned to Sara, who was leaning against the door frame with a resigned expression on her face. "Drug dealer, chase on foot, at the Aloha Market. There's a lot of stuff hanging on the stands."br /"Sell that to someone else. T-shirts and stuffed animals don't cause cuts on the face or such a decorative black eye. But while you're making up a better story, you should use the ice pack to keep it from swelling. "br /"He didn't want to be arrested and he fought back quite a bit. Then one of the benches got in our way," he added to his report and pressed the cool pack onto his /"At least he didn't use a firearm. Do you have any other injuries that need to be treated?" Sara stepped closer and examined him more /"A few bruises. Among other things, he now has a broken hand, I was wearing the protective vest."br /"Nice. Did you think of placing the order for the turkey? Thanksgiving will be in four weeks, "she abruptly changed the /"Done. I also called Annapolis. It took a little while to persuade them, but when your name came up, it suddenly worked. They will send out a package similar to the one you sent me last year in two weeks. "br /"I am addicted to those cookies. Usually they don't ship, but for me they have made an exception for years. Thanks. "She ran a hand over his injured forehead, then kissed him /"I'm really fine. And now even better when I can hold you in my arms. "br /"Oh Steve ... you say that every time. Can't you take care of yourself a little bit better? "br /"I'm gonna try. And how was your day?"br /"Quite alright. Apart from the fact that I once again had to rob someone of his illusions."br /"How so? Another one who thought you were me?"br /"For some people, reading is really a matter of luck. The letter said big and wide Lieutenant Commander Sara McGarrett. I really should have kept my name."br /"You just wanted to take my name to get rid of Big G's shadow."br /"And now I'm stuck with the one of Mister SEAL-Man," Sara quoted one of the nicknames Steve had received from his partner. "I don't know if that's so much better."br /"You'd think I had been in the reserve long enough for word to get around. But as long as you can still laugh about it ... "br /"It is hard. But I can handle it." It took a moment, then a cheeky grin went onto Sara's /"You..."br /He took her, threw her over his shoulder and carried her to the garden and to the shore, accompanied by her squeaking and Eddie's joyful barking, who thought it was a fun game and jumped around /"Don't you dare ...", she shrieked, but he simply proved the opposite and let her plop into the warm sea water. Then he turned himself into a gentleman, took her out of the water and gave her a towel./p  
p style="text-align: center;"br /XXXXXX/p 


	29. Chapter 29

Someway confused, Steve compared the time his wristwatch showed with the time he could read on the dashboard. Consistent four-fifteen. He was sitting in the car in front of his house, had just switched off the engine and was now looking at his wife's silver Prius, which was already in the parking lot. It was too early for him - and for her.  
He jumped out of the car and sprinted through the cold drizzle the few meters to the canopy. Eddie had followed him in a few leaps and had barely gotten wet, so he went straight to his basket. The house was quiet and almost dark, as the sky outside was gray and there was no light on anywhere.  
Not even the Christmas lights were on, even though it was Christmas Eve in four days and they had decorated the house together the days before. Finally he spotted Sara wrapped in a blanket on the bench under the covered terrace.  
Steve checked if the letter in his breast pocket was still in place, then went outside. He sat next to her. "Hey. I didn't think you were home. Since when are you here?"  
"What time is it?"  
"Past four."  
"One hour."  
"I know it's not like winter in Virginia, but it's pretty uncomfortable out here today. Why don't we go in?"  
"What did the doctor say?" Sara answered with a question.  
"Normal routine check. My blood results are fine. No signs of negative change. The liver is fine too."  
"Good."  
He wasn't sure why she wasn't looking at him, but at least she was talking to him. He pulled the letter out of his shirt pocket.  
After the wedding, they had asked themselves if they wanted to have children together and how high the risk could be that Steve's radiation poisoning could have a negative impact on his ability to have children. It hadn't been easy for him, but he had searched advice and examination by a specialist. He had brought the result in black and white and now held it out to her. "The other test results. Everything good. We can make little Saras or little Steves at any time, the chances of something going wrong are no higher than anyone else's. What's wrong with you? You are home hours earlier than usual. Earlier this morning you told me you had a meeting after your checkup, I didn't expect you that early."  
"The appointment with the doctor took longer, I postponed the meeting." She took his doctor's letter out of his hand, unfolded it and read it carefully twice.  
"Would you please tell me what's going on? You're scaring me. Why did the appointment take longer? Did he find something?" Steve slid closer to her and turned her to face him.  
"I had to read this in black and white. I hoped you would bring it with you."  
"I did. So?"  
"The blood test showed something abnormal. That scared me at first because I didn't expect it."  
"Sara ..."  
"I'm pregnant." The three words literally caused Steve's heartbeat to stop for a few seconds, so he had to resist the temptation to hit his chest to get it going again. He searched for words while Sara spoke softly. "I know it's a surprise. And fast. We wanted to wait until the test results are back. I..."  
"Sara," Steve finally said. "It is wonderful."  
"I..."  
"This is wonderful news. Be happy."  
His wife looked at him uneasy. "Really?"  
"Yes. Everything will be fine. You've already spoken to Janice, and she doesn't see any problems if you stick to your exercise schedule. And we live in the 21st century, so you can also take part in conferences via video and don't necessarily have to fly through the country. We can do it all. - Don't look at me like I'm going to go nuts and tear your head off." Steve pulled Sara tightly into his arms and kissed her. "Let's go in, you're freezing cold." He helped her up as she struggled with the blanket.  
"Steve?"  
"Yes?"  
"The doctor found this by chance. It is still very early, so please don't make a big announcement on Christmas, yes?"  
"I'm trying ... When is our little package supposed to be delivered?" He tried to cheer Sara up, who still looked unsure.  
"End of August."  
"This is still an age to go."  
"I told you. So continue as before. Don't you dare start pampering me, "she ordered a little more firmly.  
"No more than usual," Steve grinned and kissed her.  
On the afternoon of Boxing Day, Steve's house and garden filled up rapidly. Sara stood in the kitchen and put last hands on the salads, Steve had built a big grill outside on the beach. Joan and Danny's son Charlie had fun in the meadow with Eddie. The others had made themselves comfortable on all sorts of seating and blankets in the grass, with a large tub of drinks under the canopy.  
"Your decoration has become really beautiful. Can I help you with something else?"  
Sara turned. "Hey, Grace. Thank you. For the compliment, and thanks, no, it's all done. You could get them out of here, "she said, pointing to the two bowls on the counter.  
"Copy that. These Christmas tree balls with the snow around the hook and the white paint hanging on the top of the tree. Where did you get them?"  
"The dark blue? I brought them from Germany years ago. This is handblown glass. The balls have a very long tradition there and I like them. Unfortunately, a few broke during various moves. I hung them all the way to the top, so they are safe from Eddie."  
"It is fate if it is glass. I'll be right back. "Danny's daughter took one of the bowls and left.  
As soon as she was through the door, Renée came in. "Do you...?"  
Sara laughed. "What's going on with all of you today? Everything that you haven't brought with you is ready. This is the last bowl, the rest is already out, the dessert in the fridge."  
"We just think it's crazy that you feed us all here. I mean, how many people are there out there? Twenty?"  
"About that. But I was able to prepare everything and as you probably know Steve is a very good cook. We worked well together. At least after he and the team brought down this guy with the acute Christmas crisis. "  
"I didn't like Lou was up and away shortly before giving the presents, too. But at least that is how the wife and children survived. Even if Christmas will never be the same for them again. Waht you said about cooking is definitely true. Steve's barbecue marinade is legendary. "  
"I heard my name?" Renée took a step aside and let Steve into the small kitchen.  
"Only chorus of praise," Sara smiled up at her husband.  
"Your wife praised your cooking skills. Which is absolutely right. Outside it smells phenomenal. I'll take the bowl outside with me, "said Lou's wife with a smile and left them alone.  
Steve pulled his wife close and kissed her. "Are you okay?"  
"Absolutely. As long as being tired is my only problem, it can stay that way. Who makes sure Eddie doesn't rob the grill? "  
Her husband laughed. "Lou. The man is almost as good at the grill as I am."  
"Good thing you're not chesty. Let's go out to our guests."  
"You're a really great couple, Uncle Steve," sounded from the door.  
"Just don't start calling me Aunt Sara, Grace. Promise me that. You're already so big I'd feel really old. "  
The girl leaned against the door frame and looked at them. "Okay. Under one condition."  
"Let's hear." Sara turned in Steve's arms so she could look at her.  
"I'm going to be babysitter."  
"For Eddie? Sure," Steve nodded.  
"No. For your new family member."  
"Uh," Sara and Steve said as one voice.  
Grace burst out laughing. "I should take a photo. Your faces. I'm assuming you don't want to announce it yet. I'll keep my mouth shut, don't worry."  
"Um," Sara said, clearing her throat. "I would like to get an explanation."  
"You're glowing. So, you look kind of different than usual. That's what Mom looked like when Charlie was on his way. I'm right, right? "  
"Mhm." Sara nodded while Steve just hugged her.  
"Congratulations. I'm sure the job is safe, " Grace grinned and disappeared outside.  
Sara took her husband by the hand and dragged him into the garden behind her. Together with their friends, they celebrated a long, happy Christmas day.


	30. Chapter 30

"Wow. Looking at you, I just feel a little underdressed. James Bond's looking like a fool next to you in a suit. If you weren't already my husband, I would lock you up at home."  
Steve turned and looked at the stairs, where his wife stopped on the bottom step in a sleeveless, long evening dress.  
"You look stunning." He went to her, kissed her, then lifted her down the last step.  
"The flat shoes slightly lower the impression," she objected. "But the dress has another nice detail." She lifted her right leg up slightly, whereupon the ruby-colored fabric parted and showed a high leg opening.  
"Wow again. I didn't expect this."  
"If the slit had been on the left, I wouldn't have taken the dress. But Grace thought the color suits me. "  
"She is right. It looks nice with your brown hair. And the shoes with the glitter fit perfectly."  
"High heels..."  
"Psst." Steve put a finger on Sara's mouth. "You look fabulous. This too." He ran his hand gently over the barely existing curve on Sara's womb. "And that's why I'm going to take my fabulous wife out for dinner now. Nobody should dare to crash up this first real Valentine's Day dinner for us."  
"Let's go. I'm excited to see where you will take me in this outfit."  
Eddie watched them wailing from his pillow as they left the house. Steve gently lifted Sara into the passenger seat of the pickup, then steered the car toward the city center. He persisted in answering her questions until he turned into the Moana Hotel driveway.  
"You must have gone crazy. That costs a fortune. Especially on a day like this."  
"It is the first Valentine's Day we're spending together. You were in Coronado last year. Wait, I'm on the way."  
He hurried around the car to help her down from the high seat. Then he handed the keys to the hotel employee and led them inside to the Beach House restaurant. They were escorted to a table by the window front that had an incredible view of the sea. The waiter looked a bit confused when he only ordered mineral water as a drink, but was too well trained to say anything. "I pre-ordered the menu," Steve told the man. "There has to be a note about it."  
"Of course. Just a little moment, we will start right away."  
When the waiter left, Sara asked, "Do I want to know what's on the note?"  
"It's not a secret. There are several courses, whatever the chef can think of, but nothing raw and no alcohol. For both of us."  
"That's good," his wife nodded.  
He looked at her closely, but saw no reproach on her face. "I don't want to patronize you. Today there are only menus and I just wanted to make sure we didn't have to send something back because you weren't allowed to eat it," he said. "And I have to drive."  
"You don't have to explain yourself. I appreciate you care about it. Let's see what's coming."  
They didn't have to wait long for the answer to this question. Behind the waiter, who brought their mineral water, a second appeared who put the first course in front of them.  
"Fresh salad with fried shrimp and edible flowers. Enjoy your meal, "he wished.  
The portions were pretty small, but since there were still a few courses to follow, it was probably better that way. The food was good and he could see Sara also enjoying the dishes. The salad was followed by a vegetable terrine, a cold soup, a course with pasta and one with roasted meat.  
"Well, do you have room for dessert?" Steve asked when the plates of the last main course were cleared.  
"It depends, but there's always room for dessert. The food here is really wonderful. And the view. The sunset was beautiful. Thanks, Steve. It's the most beautiful Valentine's Day I've ever had. The flowers and the earrings ... ", she enthusiastically listed what she had found on the breakfast table. "And now that. You are incredible when you let go of the romantic inside of you."  
"Just don't tell my team, they'll keep teasing me until I retire."  
"Let's see," she smiled mischievously. "But seriously, Steve: Thank you for this wonderful day. You know I'd have been completely happy with flowers. You don't have to..."  
Steve reached for her hand, which was on the table and playing with the napkin. "Sara, stop it. I know very well that you are by no means as demanding as your background suggests. I don't do it because I have to. But because I want it. Because I love you. You, and our 'little parcel'. Let yourself be pampered today. You allow it too rarely anyway. Everyday life and work will catch up with us far too quickly. "  
The waiter was about to put the dessert plates down when a soft humming sound came from Sara's handbag, which she had leaned against the table leg.  
She blushed. "Sorry," she asked, then bent down and took out her cell phone. Her expression grew serious as she read the ad. She got up and walked a little to the terrace where no one was sitting before answering the call. The waiter had put the plates down and was watching her. "Doesn't that usually work the other way round? The man gets the call from the job and blows up the dinner evening? "  
"What?" asked Steve sharply.  
The man winced. "I'm sorry, I'm behaving indiscreet and disrespectful."  
"I agree." The next moment Sara was back. Her expression was serious. "What's happening?"  
"Can you please drive me to the office?"  
"Now?! It is ten o'clock in the evening."  
"Yes, here in Hawaii. Somewhere else..."  
Steve could see from her expression that she wouldn't say anything more. He stood up. "Can you box this up for you, please," he told the waiter, pointing to the plates.  
"Sure." He hurried and was back three minutes later with a cooler bag with two plastic boxes. "Here. There's a cool pack in the bottom to keep it fresh. You should put it in the fridge at home, then you can still eat it tomorrow."  
"Thank you."  
Sara had picked up her purse from the floor and waited standing by the table. Now she followed him wordlessly out of the building where the car was already waiting in the driveway. Steve put the cooler bag in the back seat and helped her inside.  
"To Pearl?"  
"Yes, please."  
"Are you telling me what's going on? Why did they call especially you today in the middle of the night? You've only been back three days. "  
"The call came from the Navy situation center in Norfolk. He called it an emergency."  
"Who? And why you? Don't they have their own analysts to startle out of sleep? It's three in the morning over there, "Steve calculated.  
"I know. And I asked him that too. "  
He asked more questions, but Sara stopped answering. She was tensed up, he could clearly feel it.


	31. Chapter 31

The guard at the driveway went around the car with a flashlight only once, then, to his surprise, he opened the gate without asking for their ID.  
"What's up with him?"  
"We were announced. Put the car in my parking lot, yes?"  
Steve followed the request and parked in the disabled parking space next to the building where Sara's office was located. Sara stopped at the gate. "I know your gun is out in the car. Can you please give him your phone? "She asked hesitantly.  
She didn't give him an explanation, but seemed to be serious. He took the device out of his pocket, switched it off and gave it to the guard. He put it in a box, locked it and gave him the key. "Thank you, Sir."  
"I'm really curious to see what this is supposed to be," Steve moped, "you're acting very weird." He stepped into the elevator behind Sara and watched her choosing the 2nd basement, instead of the button for the floor where her office was. Then she pulled out her cell phone and turned it off. "Isn't that the wrong direction?"  
"No. Steve ... You know I'm working as analyst for various agencies. Sometimes I run along at conferences as an inconspicuous assistant and watch the negotiating partners there. Or I give preliminary assessments based on videos."  
"Yes?" They ran down a hallway. "You're doing personal administration for the rest of the time, for what I know. Or not?"  
"It's true. I never lied to you about my job. I spend about half of my working time dealing with files and information requests like those in the Ponders case. I've only been doing this since the accident. Before that, I also went abroad for assignments."  
"Sure. What are you getting at?" He watched with interest as Sara stopped in front of a steel door, entered a PIN and scanned her ID. Another device hung next to the card reader, on which she put her index finger. A brief flash of light indicated that her fingerprint had been checked. After that he heard a soft click and the door opened. They entered a short, narrow corridor, one side of which was covered with filing cabinets and shelves full of files, and from which another door opened. "Has this always been here, or is it new?"  
"The basic equipment was there, a lot was added when I came here." She entered the room behind the second door, which was barely lit by a small red lamp, and operated a switch on the wall next to it. The next moment he was briefly blinded when a huge monitor flashed on the small side of the room. A computer started with a low whir. Subtle indirect lighting came on at the edges of the ceiling. By now the room was so bright that he could see details. The large monitor was over three meters in diameter and was flanked by smaller ones on the adjacent wall. In the middle of the room, at a sufficient distance from the monitor to be able to capture the image well, was a small version of the computer desk like they had at Five-0 headquarters, in front of which was an cushioned chair, including a stool. A filigree headset lay on the worktop. On the opposite side, on his right, there was a cupboard with several doors and drawers, the color of which was matched to the walls and hardly noticed. As he continued into the room, a cork floor swallowed every sound of his footsteps.  
"What is this? A branch of the NSA? CIA?"  
"The space I use for video analysis and conferences. For various authorities." Sara put her handbag in a cabinet drawer. "The system is very sensitive. That's why the cell phones are switched off. You wouldn't get any connection down here anyway. I activate the video connection. The Rear Admiral may not like the fact you are here, but you might be able to help."  
"You can explain to me for what, just on occasion," etched Steve, who felt more and more strange. The next moment he regretted the tone when he saw Sara's uncertain and hurt look. Before he could say anything to take it back, she turned away from him, took the headset off the table, and put it on her ear. She typed on the display. He pulled back into a corner while the loading bar on the monitor reached 100 percent.  
Sara stood to attention next to the work table. An elderly man in Navy camouflage appeared larger than life on the screen.  
"Admiral Brown, here Sara McGarrett. Excuse my inappropriate clothes, sir ... "  
"I'm aware you probably had other plans tonight. Who is that? "Interrupted the uniformed man on the monitor.  
"Lieutenant Commander Steve McGarrett. Former member of SEAL Team 7, currently head of the Five-0 Task Force in Hawaii. My husband, he drove me here. His experience might be useful to us." Sara noticed Steve stepped next to her and also braced.  
The admiral seemed to nod to someone, then replied, "Facial recognition was positive. He's permitted to stay."  
"Thank you, Sir," Steve said, which the admiral nodded and announced: "I'll start the upload while I inform you." Sara sat down at the table and entered a few commands. "Just over eighteen hours ago, around 6:20 pm local time, one of our helicopters came down in Afghanistan, in the Helmand province." Grainy satellite images appeared on the monitor, taken after dark. "It wasn't shot down. This is the first puzzle that concerns us. The pilot made a pretty hard landing, but everyone on board survived, albeit injured. Eleven men have already been recovered, they were able to entrench themselves after the impact and have now been picked up. The pilot says everything was perfectly normal. Suddenly the tail rotor failed."  
"A technical defect is ruled out?" Steve intervened.  
"Headset, top drawer on the right. There are no room microphones here, "Sara replied and changed the view so the admiral only took up a small window while the satellite image was now displayed in full size.  
"No technical defect, sir?" Steve repeated the question when he found and activated the headset.  
"No. Take a closer look at the pictures."  
Sara enlarged the helicopter section again, her husband stepped closer to the monitor. "What's this? Bird strike? But this doesn't look like a bird."  
"Because it is not. It is a drone. Not a military one, to be exact. Remains have been found near the helicopter. As effective as bird strike if used in the right place."  
"What's all this crap?" Steve said.  
"A test run for a new and simple method of air defense?" Sara said.  
"We assume that too. But that's not why I called you. Our technology specialists deal with this."  
"Then we can go home," Steve said hard.  
Sara shrugged apologetically when the admiral looked at her sharply.  
"Your skills are needed for something else, Commander."  
"Yes?" Both replied reflexively at the same time. Then Sara cleared her throat. "Sir, maybe you should use our first names for now, that could make things easier. I guess it's about the twelfth man? You have problems finding his whereabouts."  
"Exactly ... Sara."  
"May I ask again where Fred Bendixson is? And his team? They are with you, closer to the action. And the teams on site? I am not up to date with Afghanistan."  
"Flu. Bendixson is currently only able to communicate in writing, apart from high fever. Likewise, several of his colleagues. There is only a minimal staff on site, reinforcements from the north of the country are on the way, but that takes time. I only have four newbies available here, all of whom make vague statements but don't want to commit to anything. With you, I was sure you could contribute constructively. In a moment you'll see why. "Another window with a photo and data appeared on the monitor. "Chief Special Warfare Operator Brian Masterson. He was sitting at the open door during the flight. When the machine started to spin, he was thrown out. He survived, we know that. However, it was no longer possible to get him out."  
Sara noticed how Steve's body tension changed, he was still standing diagonally in front of her next to the monitor. "You know him?"  
"The face looks familiar to me. How do you know he's still alive?"  
"There was a short radio contact. It broke off at 6:34 p.m. local time. He said he was only slightly injured. He landed on something that caught his fall. What exactly is not known. As unlikely as it is, the only bush in a few square kilometers. His team was brought out shortly thereafter. We got this one five hours later. "  
Another window opened on the monitor. It was a video showing the chief sitting on the floor in a windowless, bare room. He was still wearing a T-shirt and shorts, his hands were tied in front of his body. He had scratches on various limbs, but looked in relatively good condition.


	32. Chapter 32

"You noticed he was giving hand signals?",asked Steve, examining the soldier's posture.  
"Yes. Approximately four hours drive, no physical violence against him, yet, unknown number of enemies, but many. No names. So far, the video has not been circulating on the Internet."  
"Where did you get it from?" Sara asked.  
"From a Taliban network we recently cracked. The exact origin of the video itself cannot be determined, we found IP addresses over half the globe, which we are still pursuing."  
"If they drove four hours from the crash site, the area of possible whereabouts is huge. It's a bare room, where do we get a clue from where Masterson is being held?"  
While Steve was speaking, Sara had moved the admiral window onto one of the side monitors and put a map of the area on the large monitor. She inserted a radius of the possible target area.  
"There are no roads down there, just sandy slopes. When they drove east into the mountains, they made slow progress. But the room has straight walls and a straight ceiling. It doesn't look like a cave, even if it doesn't have windows. The walls are completely bare. You don't see any of the attackers. Do you have any more?", she asked the man on the monitor.  
"Unfortunately yes. There's another video, about nine hours later, four hours ago. It originates from the same source. We are undecided what to think about it. The technicians at Fort Meade have been looking for it on the Internet since it was discovered, but so far nothing has appeared."  
"So no big announcements, no demands, threats?", said Steve.  
"Exactly. And I also realize this is odd. I'm not sure if they don't know who or what Masterson is, or if they don't care. Their usual course of action would have been to kill him on site. Or very promptly. Best of all very photogenic and recorded on video for posterity on the Internet. But four hours ago, Masterson was still alive. I'll send the video to you. It's not a nice view," he warned before nodding to someone outside the field of vision.  
Another window opened on the monitor, a loading bar appeared, then a still image. Steve heard a short noise from Sara and turned. She was sitting on the chair with her head down to her knees. He grabbed his ear and muted the headset. "Are you okay?"  
"Yes. Just dizzy. There is water in the cupboard, bottom left."  
Ignoring the admiral who continued to speak in his ear, he went to the designated closet and discovered a small fridge with water bottles. With quick hand movements, he opened one and gave it to his wife, who took it and drank several small sips. After putting the cap back on it, she put it in a holder at the bottom of one of the table legs. He put his hand briefly on her back, then she seemed to have regained her composure and she turned back to the monitor. The picture showed another room, there were four people in dark shirts and beige cargo pants. They had dark scarves wrapped around their heads and arms on their sides. The room had no windows, but there were slits just below the ceiling that apparently let in daylight. Photos and sketches hung on the walls. In a half-standing position, Masterson was tied to a wooden structure in the middle of the room and practically naked. His upper body had bloody cuts and hematomas, his face was swollen. His left arm hung in the shackles at an unnatural angle. The men around him seemed to be ignoring him, one standing next to him, the others looking at a table on the side wall, handling papers and a notebook, but the screen of which was invisible. Steve waited for Sara to start the video and stood aside so that he didn't block her view. He took turns watching her and the monitor that was running a five-minute video sequence. Sara had turned off the sound and was concentrating on the pictures. The admiral apparently was familiar with the way she worked, because their headsets were almost silent and only heard very muffled background noises. The only sounds in the room were her breathing and the soft whir of technology. On the monitor he saw the man in the situation center was also watching her. About half of the film had played when another man came into the room on the monitor and he heard Sara cursing softly. For not to put her out of concentration, he saved his question until the sequence was over. He didn't get to put it because she started it right a second time. But this time she stopped at the spot from before and enlarged the image section. "This is Amar. The new arrival. Can someone please explain this to me?"  
"You sound very sure," said Steve.  
"Because I am sure." She moved the picture back a few seconds. "This step sequence, this short grinding with the right leg. That is Amar. How can he be there, Admiral? "  
"He disappeared in an attack on a military convoy eleven months ago."  
"Nice," Steve commented softly.  
"My people here also suspected that it was him, that's why I called you. You spent a long time working on him."  
"His former hiding place was blown up when he was taken. These were caves. This is not like the room in the first video. The position of the sun and thus the orientation of the house can be clearly seen. The question is where is this house. Following the traces on the ground, Chief Masterson was tortured here, which makes me suspect that it is relatively lonely because he is not gagged," Sara continued. She restarted the video and turned on the sound. Steve watched the concentration and apparent calm with that she went through the film sequence again and again. She paused some times and described further details that she took from what was happening on the monitor. From time to time she got up, went closer to the monitor to take a closer look, or took a few steps up and down. After what felt like a hundred more passes, sometimes with or without sound, she surprisingly started typing on her table, a new window opened, and a picture appeared on it, which she pushed next to one of the men on the monitor. "It seems to me that Djawad has worked his way up. And teamed up with Amar."  
The admiral looked surprised. "Djawad? How do you come up with him? Are you sure this is him?"  
"Pretty sure. The movements and the language. The environment also fits. I don't know much about him, but he hates caves."  
"There have been repeated sightings of him and a few of his 'friends' in a relatively limited area in recent weeks. I will send you satellite images right away. Take a break." The monitor the admiral had been on went black and the voice in the headset was silent. Sara tapped again so the table went black too, then put her arms on the platter and head on top and closed her eyes. Steve went to his wife and put a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry I was so aggressive earlier. It was unnecessary. It's been a long time since I spent my nights with Navy intelligence. These masses of data were exhausting. You've been watching this video again and again for over four hours now. And I'm sure you've seen worse ones. You never lied to me, but the confidentiality rules prevented you from informing me of the extent of your work. That's right, isn't it?"  
"Mhm." Sara opened her eyes. "You know I can't tell you much more now," she said quietly. "Assisting with the capture of Amar was my last analysis related to Afghanistan, two months before Ponders. You heard Brown why he called me, because I've become more involved in politics since then. If you like, it's calmer and safer."  
"I have a little doubt about the calmer part, as I think of Thanksgiving two years ago. You were so done after the European tour ... Do you think Masterson still has a chance?"  
"Amar is a tactician. He is a clever head, but not particularly violent. He knows killing a soldier gives him one good show and then he's worthless. I cannot assess Djawad well. He was just a little soldier the last time I had him on the radar. You can see on the last video that Masterson has been injured but is still alive. That's a lot for an American soldier fourteen hours after he was captured, especially in this case, "she alluded to Masterson's membership of a special force.  
"That's right," Steve said quietly.  
"If there's anything else I can do from here so they can get him out, I'll do it. I promise you, Steve."  
"Are you sure you can do this? It is after three-thirty in the morning. You are..."  
Sara cut him off before he could continue talking. "Tired. I'm fine. You know, no man is left behind. We'll try everything." He padded her shoulder, he didn't dare to kiss her because he was not sure to what extent the cameras were active. "The admiral is back online," his wife explained after touching her headset.


	33. Chapter 33

She straightened up, stretched briefly, then reactivated the desk display and monitors. With brief hand movements, she moved the video and pictures of Djawad onto one of the side monitors above the Admiral and a new download was displayed. Shortly afterwards satellite photos of the province of Helmand appeared with different colored markings as well as a map on which the corresponding places were marked. Steve watched Sara and the admiral check one by one, check live images, and discuss probabilities. He occasionally made comments. In the end, they settled on a settlement with a handful of houses off a small slope in the middle of nowhere.  
"A team will be on its way shortly. If we're right, we should have Masterson in about an hour or two," said the admiral. "A team of our allies is checking the second location that we have narrowed down."  
"I hope he can hang on until then," Sara replied quietly. "A good twenty-five hours ..."  
"These guys aren't bulletproof, but they can take a beating," Steve said. "Do you let us know about further events? Please."  
"You'll get a message, Steve. Thank you for your support, both of you. And I'm sorry for breaking up you evening ... "  
"Admiral, that's our job. Dessert can be made up. The point is getting Masterson back to his family alive," Sara interrupted. "I agree with my husband's request. Shall we wait here?"  
"This will not be necessary, we have all the information we need. It's... ", he raised his head briefly, "half past four in the morning on your island. Go home and get a rest."  
"Thank You, Sir. You will soon be able to reach us on our mobile phones. You have my number, I'll text you Steves right away."  
"Okay. Good night."  
The monitor with the admiral's portrait went out, and after a few gestures from Sara, the other screens and the ceiling light went out, so that the room was almost dark again. Steve blinked a few times, then his eyes had adjusted to the dark. He saw Sara stretch and slowly slide off the chair. "Please, let me help you," he urged softly. She nodded, then grabbed his arm. He took her bag and the phone, then they left the room. By the time they got to the elevator, his wife was running a little more smoothly and wanted to let go of his arm. "Keep holding on tight. You're dead tired and totally cramped." Sara didn't protest, which was enough for him to answer, so he saved himself the alternative suggestion of carrying her. At the gate he wordlessly held out the key to the security guard, who also handed him the cell phone without a word. When he steered the car off the base, he and Sara turned on their phones at the same time. He saw Sara typing a message. "Your number for the admiral," she explained shortly and yawned heavily.  
The streets of Honolulu were still empty, so they were home in less than half an hour. Eddie raised an eyebrow only briefly when they entered the house. Steve left the cooler bag on the coffee table. "May I carry you up please? Only for this time. I don't want you to fall on the stairs to make the day perfect."  
His wife sighed. "Okay." He took her on his arms, carried her upstairs to the bedroom, and set her down on the bed.  
"But I am still able to undress myself, Steve."  
"Sure?" He asked impishly.  
"Definitely. And I also know some things that you could still do. Put the food in the fridge, fill Eddie's bowl so that it doesn't wake us up again in an hour, your inspection tour ... "  
"Okay, okay. Copy that. I'll be right back." He took off his jacket, hung it on the closet, took off his shoes and ran back down. When he had done everything and got back upstairs, Sara came out of the bathroom in one of his T-shirts. "Dessert in the fridge, bowl full, the house is safe, we can sleep well. I'm just getting rid of the suit."  
"Good."  
Sara was sitting on the edge of the bed when he was ready. She was holding her phone.  
"Is something going on?"  
"Not yet. It's been less than an hour now. I'm dead tired, everything hurts, but I don't think I can sleep. "  
Steve sat next to her. "I'm probably not as good as Janice, but I can also do a little massage. That could help you and bridge the waiting time."  
"Thank you."  
He gently helped Sara lie on her stomach, then began to carefully massage her completely stiff back. It took a while for her to relax, but the nightly calm in the house helped both of them get a little down. At about six o'clock the telephones vibrated synchronously on both bedside tables. "Stay," Steve said quietly, stretching for his cell phone. "Masterson is alive," he read out. "Serious injuries, but good chances of survival. He will shortly be flown to Ramstein and, if stable, to Norfolk. Djawad is dead, as are several of the men, Amar is in captivity again."  
"Good."  
"Then sleep now." He threw the phone back on the bedside table, lay down next to Sara and pulled the bedcovers over both of them.

His wife didn't move when he got up two hours later and pulled the blanket over her. Steve let Eddie out before taking a shower and making coffee. He decided to take the dog with him so Sara could rest and wrote her a message, then thoughtfully got behind the wheel and drove to headquarters. On the way, he called her CO, who was already informed that she would not come. As he walked through the corridors of the Palace, he dialed the number of Sara's physiotherapist. The connection came about when he crossed the glass doors to his department.  
"Oahu First Therapy, Aloha and Good Morning."  
"Good morning, Commander McGarrett here. Janice Kalua please. "  
"One moment."  
"Thank you."  
He listened to music that tugged at his nerves for a moment, then heard a familiar voice. "Sara?"  
"No, Janice, this is Steve, good morning. I wanted to let you know that Sara is not coming to her regular appointment this morning."  
"But is she okay?" Asked the therapist worried.  
"Yes. We had a long night, she only got to bed two hours ago. I don't know what your schedule looks like today, but it would be great if you were on call. I did my best, but Sara was in pain when we finally got home. She can't take anything."  
"Absolutely. Whenever she calls, I'm ready. If necessary, I will move one of my other patients."  
"Thank you, you are a sweetheart."  
"Always here for you, Commander," Janice replied cheerfully, then hung up.  
"Who are you flirting with?" Came it from behind him when he had the door handle from his office in his hand.  
"I'm not flirting at all, I've postponed an appointment, Danny. Good morning, by the way. "Steve turned to his partner, who was standing in the room with a coffee cup in hand. "What are you doing here?"  
"I could ask you the same thing, you were the one who just spoke of a long night. The rings under your eyes are really decorative, I hope you had fun," he teased.  
"If you're listening, then at least try to get the whole thing. Valentine's Day was over right past ten."  
"Aha. Did you have any trouble?"  
"Danny, drink your coffee and let's talk later." Steve left the detective and went to his office. A few minutes later Danny was standing in front of him again.  
"The question is still open."  
"No, we didn't have trouble. Sara had a call, she had to go to the office. "  
"Seriously?"  
"Yes."  
"And what was it about? Oh wait, don't say it: It's classified," Danny teased, rolling his eyes.  
"Why do you ask when you already know the answer? Anyway, we were home at half past five and Sara wasn't feeling well. That's why I didn't wake her when I left."  
"And that's why you brought your furry friend with you," Danny pointed to Eddie, who was wagging his tail.  
"Yes. And how was your Valentine's Day? "  
"Except that I had to wait a long time for Grace? Quiet and cozy. I played cards with Charlie and he cleaned me out to the last shirt."  
Steve laughed. "Like his sister. That's my boy. Nice that you had fun. None of the others have showed yet? "  
"Do you see them here somewhere? But work isn't already breaking the door for us. I think with a shudder that there is still something like paperwork on my desk."  
"If it makes you more comfortable, I feel the same way. But that's life."  
They had neatly squatted themselves until they agreed to go to the beach to Kamekona for lunch. Meanwhile, the rest of the team had arrived and Steve had announced a 'paper warfare day'. When they were in the car at just before one, Danny mocked: "You seem to be waiting for a really important call. How many times have you checked your phone in the past hour? Every five minutes? Or just every ten?"  
"Sara hasn't called yet."  
"Steve, I'm absolutely fascinated how caring our SEAL-Man is lately, but have you ever thought that your wife is a grown up person? Just as food for thought ... "  
Steve growled. "Danny, just stay out when it comes to things you have no idea about."  
The moment the Danny took a breath to undeniably deliver another snappy comment, the phone rang. "Finally," Steve murmured, then answered the call. "Good morning, Commander," he said fondly.

"Good morning to you too. Or better 'Enjoy your meal'? That sounds like a car. Hello Danny."  
"Hello Sara," replied his partner.  
"Thank you for signing me out, Steve. I found your note."  
"No problem. How are you?"  
"Better."  
"That's good. Janice is waiting for your call and she will make an appointment for you."  
"Thank you. And thanks for taking Eddie with you. I can make it around the house just like that, but a longer walk wouldn't be possible," his wife admitted.  
"Never mind. Junior is currently doing a lap with him."  
"Are you sure he's not going to do a lap with Junior?" Laughed his wife. It was a general running gag that Eddie didn't seem to take the young ex-SEAL for full.  
Steve laughed too. "Quite possible. And Sara?"  
"Yes?"  
"Take a taxi. Or order motor pool."  
"I'm thinking about it. Say Hello to Kamekona from me. And if he ... "  
"... has Haupia, I'll bring some," added Steve. His friend had put the traditional Hawaiian coconut milk dessert on his menu for some time and Sara was addicted to it.  
"Thank you. Take care, boys."  
"Always do, Sara", Danny promised, then Steve said goodbye to his wife with an "Aloha, Sara" and hung up.  
"You're doing it again," teased his partner.  
"What?" Steve asked back, stopping in the parking lot next to Kamekona's truck.  
"You're staring at your cell phone with a crush. Now she called. What's wrong with you?"  
Steve took the phone and got out. "Last night Sara showed me again very impressively why she has the job she's having. At the same time, I got to know a side of her that I never knew before." He felt Danny's questioning look on himself. "In the most positive meaning. I can't tell you more, but it was a really tough thing."  
"You were there? I thought it was classified. "  
"I brought her there and stayed there. The person in charge allowed it."  
"Okay."  
They ordered lunch on the truck and had three portions of Haupia packed. Shortly afterwards the boss personally served their shrimp and a bag of plastic cans. "I packed extra large pieces, Bro," explained when he held them out to Steve. "Your Sara is fully on my Haupia, I wouldn't have thought, for a Haole. Although she actually isn't one no longer."  
"You saying this sounds like a real compliment, thanks, Kamekona," Steve explained. "And you're right, she loves it."  
"When will she pay me a visit again? She hasn't been here in ages and ate my special garlic shrimp."  
"Garlic isn't her favourite at the moment. But I'm gonna tell her she has to get the next Haupia herself."  
"Okay, bro. I'll go to the grill again, it's rush hour."  
When Kamekona was out of hearing range, Danny swallowed his last bit. "Oh my god, I'm so stupid. And I'm still a cop, too," he shouted, slapping his forehead. "Sara is pregnant. Right? Tons of Haupia, absolutely no garlic ... And you're even crazier than ever. Super SEAL dad! Congratulations," Danny laughed and patted Steve on the shoulder.  
Steve rubbed his face. "Yes. Yeah, okay, she is pregnant. But would you please yell a little lower? We don't want to shout it from the rooftops yet."  
Danny looked perplexed and a little worried when he asked a little quieter: "Why? Isn't Sara doing well? I mean, when she was at HQ just a few days ago, she looked good. Happy and healthy."  
"She is fine. She has never puked a single time. She gets tired faster than before, yes. Otherwise, she has no problems that aren't already known. But she has to take medication to prevent cramps."  
"Because of the accident. Her legs ... ", Danny concluded.  
"Exactly. And she worked out a precise plan with Janice to stay stable and mobile. But apart from that she feels good, "said Steve. "We are making plans to enlarge the house a little. Saras library is already filling its own room, it will get a little tight in the long run. "  
"If you need help, anytime. From all of us."  
"Thanks, Danny."

* * *

Anybody out there? I'd love to read a review to see if you still like the story.


	34. Chapter 34

Sara was just returning from dinner and unlocked her office door when her cell phone rang. She nodded to Keahi, who was sitting at his desk, looked at the display and answered: "Hello Steve. Are you psychic? I was just about to call you."  
"Hey, Sara. I was afraid I was disturbing. What did you want?"  
"You start, you called," she replied.  
"I just received a travel order from Coronado. This whole thing feels very strange." He read the text.  
Sara cleared her throat. "I can be even stranger. I just received an almost identical order from Norfolk. Including uniform instructions. Departure tomorrow, March 20, 10:00 PM Hickam AFB, arrival 6:30 AM local time North Island AFB. White service dress. Estimated length of stay is twenty-four hours, " she summarized. "But no indication of a reason for the trip. I have no idea what that is about. There is no holiday coming, I have no report someone has died ... I was just about to make some calls what could be going on."  
"That makes two of us. But nobody knows anything. However, I have good news. I just spoke to Hank, the shuttle tomorrow night will be a C40 in passenger configuration, not a cargo plane. You can make yourself fairly comfortable and sleep during the flight."  
"Thank God. 10 p.m., that means show up at eight. So you have to be home by seven at the latest, whatever happens. Your team also has to come along without you for forty-eight hours. I'll cancel my appointments tomorrow afternoon and take another session with Janice. That should make things easier. Since I don't know what Coronado is all about, I can't make an appointment there."  
"Sounds good. I haven't even asked how you two are doing."  
"We are doing quite fine. But now there is still some work to get off the table, the trip is coming in busy times. I'll see you tonight. Until then, please don't get beaten up or shot, okay? "  
"Aye, ma'am," Steve joked, then hung up.  
Sara got back to work, but the question of the background of the travel order continued to haunt her mind.

The following evening, about 7.15h, Sara was struggling with the last bobby pins to fix the required hair bun - and Steve was a no-show. The little suitcase was already packed, she had showered, was already wearing the white uniform except for the shirt, and had prepared everything necessary for herself. She put in the last hairpin, grabbed the hairspray can and ran down to the garden, where she card forthe necessary hold.  
When she came back in, she heard Steve sprinting up the garden path. "You can explain to me where you are coming from later, but now hurry up, for God's sake. Your uniform is waiting on the bedroom door," she called after him as he ran up the stairs, taking two steps at a time.  
He had the fastest Navy shower ever, while Sara was getting dressed and then checking the windows and doors. "We'll take my car. I'm driving, "she said shortly, when he came down with the hatgear in one hand and the suitcase in the other.  
"But..."  
"Get in!" She pushed him out of the door and locked it behind them. "I'm not going to watch my child's father getting court-martialed for speeding through Honolulu in Navy uniform with flashing blue lights. Neither by the Navy nor the governor. Not to mention the press," she explained as they walked along the garden path and got into the Prius.  
Steve was clinging to the handle above the passenger door as she speeded down the driveway. "If we arrive at all ... This is really embarrassing, showing up to the terminal in uniform, chauffeured by my pregnant wife in uniform ...", he moaned.  
"You forgot the 'disabled'," Sara replied coldly and without looking at him as she shot over a traffic light in the last second.  
"No, damn it, Sara ..."  
"Shut up!", she ordered. They passed another traffic light at high speed, then reached the freeway and Sara took the left lane. Steve saw her activate voice control. "Call Keahi," she ordered the phone.  
"What...?"  
"Not now."  
A voice came from the speaker.  
"Ma'am?"  
"Status, Petty Officer?"  
"I just left the office, heading for the terminal with PO Bloom."  
"Change of plan. Wait for us at Hickam Main Gate, we will exchange cars there."  
"Aye, ma'am."  
Keahi did not show whether the order irritated him, he hung up without comment.  
"What are you doing ?!" Steve said in the passenger seat.  
"I'm massaging your male ego." He watched her driving concentrated, keeping to the speed limit exactly. A few minutes later the speaker said, "Keahi is calling."  
"Accept."  
"Ma'am, we are in the parking lot in front of the VRO, ready to continue."  
"Okay. We're coming with my car, which means you take over, Bloom takes us to the terminal."  
"Roger that."  
Not a word was spoken in the car until they reached the main gate to Airforce Base. He simply didn't dare to say anything. He had rarely seen his wife in this mood over the years, but it was safest to shut up. The guard recognized Sara and waved her straight through. Sara steered the car into the parking lot. The two young soldiers were waiting for them with the car doors already open. Steve got the suitcase and bag out of the trunk while she took her cell phone out of the center console and handed the car keys to Keahi. He obviously recognized the mood of his CO, he just wished her a good flight. Bloom waited with the engine running until Sara had also got into the pickup and then drove across all lanes onto the driveway to the passenger terminal.  
It's been one minute to eight when they pulled up to the building.  
"Thanks, Bloom," Sara said as they got out.  
"Always a pleasure, ma'am," said the young soldier, greeting.  
"Sara ..." Steve started again, but she waved it off.  
"It is not a good role model to discuss this here in public, or getting there late." She took the shoulder bag off his hands and stepped through the automatic door. At the check-in there were only three soldiers waiting, behind which they lined up. When they reached the desk, the soldier in the cammies sitting behind it nodded and smiled at her. "Commanders McGarrett. Ma'am. Sir."  
"Good evening, Sergeant Caines. We..."  
"You're signed up for North Island, I know. The jet is almost full, but we kept row 1 free for you, as usual. You are the last to board, the family lounge is empty, you can get in there and put up your feet if you want."  
"Thank you, Sergeant, for taking care of the short-term registration."  
"You're welcome, ma'am."  
They passed the security checkpoints under the watchful eye of some soldiers in cammies and several in civilian clothes, then they walked to the family lounge. The door wasn't fully closed when Steve asked, "Would you mind explaining me what this is about?"  
"What do you mean? That fact you were late or you acting like a Neanderthal? 'My wife is at the wheel, that's embarrassing,' "she mimicked him.  
"We had the chance to arrest the head of the gang which has been robbing cars at the beach for weeks and terrifying the owners. I couldn't get out in the middle of it. That's why I was late. And about the Neanderthals ... maybe. But I didn't say anything about disabled, that's your words. Are you always having special service when you fly out from here?"  
"When Sergeant Caines is on duty, yes. I've known her for a long time, she used to be based in Oceana. Most of her colleagues take care of that too. In the meantime, you should have known me long enough to know this is only a matter of making the unfortunately necessary evil of flying as comfortable as possible. It's not about any rank privileges or exaggerated demands."  
"I know that, Sara, it was just a question."  
"Then you should work on your emphasis, Steve. And I've known you long enough to be aware that exactly what I said would have happened. If we had taken your car, you would have switched on the blue lights and siren at the third traffic light at the latest. That would have resulted in a subpoena to the military court, an epic lecture by the governor and a great headline. You know I agreed with Keahi that he would pick up our car and park it at the office building because of the construction site out there."  
"And now _he_ thinks I'm a Neanderthal," Steve groaned and dropped into one of the armchairs.  
"Possible. But he has known you for a while, he knows you're a SEAL, so he will probably know that this action is mainly based on your ego and your control issues. And that you otherwise have little or no problems with the fact that you have an independent, equal wife."  
"Mhm." He watched Sara take a seat on the couch and put her legs up. She sighed. "Everything okay?"  
"Yes. I would love to know what this whole drama is about. My desk bends. I don't have time for such nonsense. "  
"Tomorrow morning you'll know. Did you see Janice?"  
"Yes, an hour in the pool. There was not enough time for more, something intervened. - But I've been home on time. "  
"I know. I'm sorry. Now try to relax a little while we're still on the ground."  
"Mhm."  
Sara leaned her head in her hand and closed her eyes. He could see her tiredness and tension. Steve got a magazine about airplanes from the table that someone had forgotten there while waiting.  
At 9.45h pm the door opened and Sergeant Caines appeared. Sara had obviously heard her, she raised her head.  
"Commanders, the last bus is ready."  
"Thank you." Sara nodded to her, shook her legs and slowly got up.  
It was already dark when they got out of the bus at the foot of the gangway. A few last passengers climbed the stairs ahead of them. Sergeant Caines walked upstairs in front of Sara. When they were almost at the door, he could hear voices from inside.  
"Don't you read, soldier? These two seats were clearly marked."  
He couldn't understand the answer, but the further discussion made Sara sigh. Steve overtook his wife in the entrance to the plane. He saw Sergeant Caines and another soldier arguing with two young men in camouflage dress who were having seats 1A and 1B. "Is there a problem here?", he asked sharply.  
The soldier on 1B was already taking a breath, but then his eyes caught on Steve's heavily decorated chest and the Trident. He jumped up. "No, sir. A misunderstanding. Excuse me, sir." He grabbed his backpack and pulled his neighbor with him a few rows back where there were some free seats. Steve turned. Sara stood behind him with clenched teeth and held out the shoulder bag. As he stowed the luggage, the sergeant said goodbye and Sara took the window seat.  
"Wouldn't you rather sit outside?"  
"No, there's enough space here for me. You have the longer legs."  
The silence continued until they took off and reached travel altitude.


	35. Chapter 35

Then Steve asked his wife, who was still staring into space. "Does that happen more often?"  
"The discussion? Occasionally. Before you're getting upset: This has been part of my life for ten years. Annoying, but my life."  
"Okay. Have I jumped the gun again? "Steve asked carefully.  
"No. It's okay. You only shortened the matter."  
"I have to be good for something. Even without Neanderthal behavior."  
He squeezed her hand. She returned the gesture, then closed her eyes.  
The flight was quiet, most of the passengers were sleeping, so Steve was confused for a moment when he opened his eyes because he didn't know what had woken him. A glance at the cramped posture of his sleeping wife explained it. She hadn't woken up until now, so he let her sleep. He also fell asleep again until he was awakened by the announcement of the final approach.  
Sara's suppressed curse was tough. She gritted her teeth. Steve said nothing so as not to draw the attention of those sitting nearby, instead he carefully pulled his wife around and started to massage her legs. He let go of her just before landing and asked, almost drowned out by the turbines: "Are you okay?"  
"I don't know, we'll see in a minute."  
He read a mixture of anger and resignation on her face. For a moment, he was seized by fierce anger at her first husband, but he quickly suppressed the senseless impulse. When the plane came to a stop, an announcement from the pilot sounded that everyone should stay seated. A crew member came to them. "You get out first. Your pickup is waiting downstairs. "  
"Thank you."  
Sara got up and took a hesitant step, one hand on the seat back. With another suppressed curse on her lips, she shook her head. Steve had already got her bag out of the luggage compartment, now she reached for it, pulled out a folded white walking stick and put it together with practiced movements. There was a low murmur behind them as she worked her way to the door and stairs. Slowly and step by step she completed the way down. Steve walked next to her, always with a hand ready to hold her, the man from the crew behind them. When she reached firm ground, Sara turned to him. "Thank you. Open deboarding before we stir up a mutiny."  
"Aye, ma'am." The man saluted, then hurried upstairs. Right next to the stairs there was an open jeep waiting in the headlights, it was just before dawn. An Asian-looking, older soldier in a beige uniform got out.  
"Commanders. Good Morning. I hope you had a good flight."  
"Hello, Lieutenant. Steve, that's Lieutenant Hattori. "  
"Commander. Let's go before the stampede is coming."  
The first steps were approching behind them on the stairs. Steve silently lifted Sara into the passenger seat and gave her her bag. He ran back to the plane where her suitcase was being unloaded, took it, threw it on the back of the jeep, then climbed into the back seat. As he drove off, Hattori said: "I will take you to the officers' mess for breakfast first. Then to the lodging house, where you can freshen up. I will pick you up again at 11:15h, you will be expected at half past eleven."  
"Can you tell us what for?" Asked Steve. "I mean, if we were about to appear at military court, we should have been informed beforehand so that we could take care of legal counsel. But what's going on? "  
"Sorry, sir. I have no information about that. I was only told you would come and take the usual accommodation. And when you are to be picked up or taken where."  
They drove for a few minutes, then the man stopped in front of a building. He asked them to wait, brought their suitcase in, then drove on.

At the meal counter, Steve realized that Hattori and Sara had apparently known each other for a long time, they seemed like a well-coordinated team. The lieutenant took her tray and followed her as she selected scrambled eggs, toast, butter, honey and tea. She was still leaning on her stick, even though the stiffness in her legs seemed to wear off. He got himself something to eat, then went to the table where Hattori was putting down Sara's breakfast. "Get yourself a coffee, Lieutenant, and join us."  
"Thank you, Sir." Hattori nodded and went back to the counter.  
"Old acquaintances?" Steve asked when he was out of earshot.  
"Kind of. If possible, I have constant contact persons when travelling. Saves explanations. In Coronado it is Hattori. He's my driver here, too. After I gave up arguing with rental car companies here at some point. It works all over the world, but not here."  
Hattori laughed and put his coffee cup down as he sat down. "The annoying car rental story?"  
"Mhm," Sara said and nodded, her mouth full of scrambled eggs.  
"How long have you been grappling with it? A year?"  
"Two," Sara corrected after swallowing. "What didn't they put up to me ... A pickup, larger than yours, Steve. An impala with gear shift. Everything, but not a simple mid-range car with hand control in the basic rental car version. At some point I didn't know whether to laugh or cry."  
"The admiral wasn't quite as humorous," said Hattori. "The tantrum was worth seeing. I'd like to emphasize this, it wasn't the Commanders fault - and the Admiral knows that too - that she wasn't on time for an appointment, which almost caused an incident. In the end she was brought there with MPs and flashing lights. After that, I was asked to be available to your wife when she works here. As a chauffeur and as an assistant. Before you ask again: I really don't know what's going on. My instructions only last until noon today, after which I was only ordered to be available. Would you like another one, Commander? "The lieutenant pointed to Sara's empty teacup.  
"No, thanks."  
Shortly after, Steve had emptied his plate and they started. "I'll pick you up later," Hattori announced as he dropped them off in front of the lodging house.  
"Do you believe him?" Steve asked as he closed the door of the ground floor apartment behind them.  
"Yes. Hattori is thoroughly honest, even if it hurts. For that he got into trouble once or twice. Steve, can I ask you for something?"  
He had started to unpack the suitcase, now he raised his head. "Sure."  
"If possible, I'd like to go to whatever, without a stick. Even if the pants are too tight, at least that," Sara joked.  
He went to her and hugged her. "Don't worry about it. Whatever they want, if they kick you out, you start with us. Take off your pants and I'll do my best." When Sara was sitting on the bed with her legs stretched out, he began to gently massage her.  
Hattori was at their door at 11:14 am. Sara had fixed her hair, put her clothes back on, and felt good enough to set off without a stick. She left her emergency bag with the lieutenant in the car when he dropped them off at their destination.  
Only then did they learn that Admiral Peters was expecting them personally. His wife gave him a surprised look as the elevator carried them upstairs.  
"Commanders, you will be admitted shortly," announced the Admiral's aide. It took only a few minutes, then he led them to Admiral Peters' office.  
Here the surprises continued. In addition to Peters, Rear Admiral Brown from Norfolk and Sara's superior in Pearl Harbor, Captain Duncan, were also waiting in the office. They both braced and saluted.


	36. Chapter 36

Peters nodded. "Take a seat, Commanders. We'll put you out of your misery. You are probably both wondering why you are here."  
Next to him, Sara nodded. "Sir."  
After all sat down, Peters cleared his throat. "Well, it will be best if I follow the suggestion you made to Admiral Brown a few weeks ago and use your first names. You will certainly not have forgotten the context in which this happened. You will surely be pleased that Chief Masterson is still on the mend and will be able to return to work in the foreseeable future. Several Taliban were shot in the course of his rescue, and Awar is again in captivity. You already knew that, I know. What you cannot know is that your analysis, Sara, has brought us to a real gold mine in the second possible location that you brought into play."  
Peters nodded to Brown, who took the floor: "What appeared to be a harmless village with a few goatherds and a small Taliban hiding place at first glance, was kind of a Taliban Fort Meade in the area if you took a more closer look. We were able to reduce the list of wanted terrorists by a few and smoke out a network. The Pentagon has now ordered me two things I would like to take care of here, given certain circumstances." The rear admiral nodded towards Saras body center, the baby belly could no longer be missed when she was sitting. "Unfortunately, I was not able to fly to Pearl due to lack of time. But I could save you at least half of the distance, the flight to Norfolk."  
"Thank you."  
"Well, on the one hand, Steve, I was asked to thank you personally and to give a commendation ..."  
"But ..." Steve tried to interrupt him.  
"Let me finish. Giving you a commendation, on the one hand, for your support with the analysis and, on the other hand, no, this is not a joke, for the support for Lieutenant Commander Sara McGarrett. I don't have to tell you how difficult this job is, and we are very happy she's finding such support in you. With your background in particular, you have a better idea of what she's doing than others could ever have. The only thing I want to hear from you is 'thank you, sir'."  
"Thank you, sir," Steve answered obediently, even if it was sticking in his craw. He was praised to the skies while Sara sat silently next to him.  
"Now to you, Sara. First of all, I would like to tell you all of the following will not change anything on your work situation. You will remain stationed in Pearl Harbor and continue to work as before until your maternity break and afterwards. Officially, you will continue to work part-time in personnel management. "  
Steve noticed Sara was sitting upright, trying to hide her confusion. He felt the same and was curious to see what Brown would say next.  
"I was instructed to hand this over to you. I think it's long overdue, but certain institutions are working a little ... slower." Brown held out a folder to Sara. She took it and opened it. A little gasp escaped her mouth.  
Steve leaned over to her, but he couldn't see what she was holding. She seemed to be reading again and handed him the folder. It contained a letter about the promotion of Lieutenant Commander Sara McGarrett to U.S. Navy Commander.  
He spotted another piece of paper underneath and continued reading. "Look at this." It was a letter of recommendation.  
She read, then closed the folder and cleared her throat. "Sirs, I am very grateful. I have your promise that none of this will change my situation? Otherwise I would be forced to ..."  
Captain Duncan interrupted her. "Nothing's gonna change. This is the only way we, more specifically, the government is having access to you whenever we need you. Assignments continue to be coordinated by Admiral Brown of Norfolk. Officially, I will remain your supervisor and contact in Pearl. Keahi will also remain on your command. We're working on expanding his skills to increase his support for you, including upcoming events. The hand control license was just the beginning, so accept it for what it is: long overdue recognition of your work. We are well aware you are not doing your work for awards, Sara, especially because of it's nature. But you're doing extraordinary work and we owe you thanks for that. - Lieutenant Hattori will give you the necessary uniform components afterwards, there were a few small complications, otherwise I would have done it. Congratulations, Commander."  
Sara pushed out of the chair and saluted. Steve did the same. The officers around the table returned the salute.  
"Your return flight leaves tomorrow morning, Hattori has all the details," Peters explained before ordering: "You're dismissed."  
The office door had just closed behind them when Steve pulled Sara into his arms and kissed her. "Congratulations. But don't think you're going to be the CO at home now. "  
Sara laughed. "Only when necessary. Let's go as long as I'm able to. I'm feeling a little woozy right now. I had expected nearly everything, but not this. There has probably never been a promotion for someone in a situation like mine."  
"So what. The amiral is absolutely right: You deserved it."  
Behind them at his desk, Peters' adjutant cleared his throat. "Commanders. You are in uniform."  
"We're already gone," Steve said, raising his hand apologetically before leaving the hall. Hattori was leaning against his jeep in front of the house. When he saw her coming, he straightened and greeted. "Congratulations, Commander. I have a special delivery for you."  
"Thank you, Lieutenant." Sara smiled. "Do you have any other surprises for us?"  
"No, ma'am. You are free until tomorrow's plane. Where can I take you? "  
"First back to the accommodation. I have to digest that first."  
"All right, Commander."  
When he dropped them off, Steve told him they would get in touch when they needed him and then they went inside.  
Sara felt knocked out. When Steve asked, "Are you okay? You are so quiet," she couldn't prevent a few tears from running down her cheeks.  
"Hey. Everything is fine." He came to her and hugged her.  
"Sorry. It has been a little bit tense the past few days. Plus the crappy flight. I absolutely didn't expect anything like that."  
"Don't be sorry. Just let it get off." He gently stroked her back.  
"I think I'm going to lie down a bit. And later we'll think about where we're going to eat tonight. It wasn't so stupid packing a set of civilian clothes for each of us. "  
"Both good ideas. Do you mind if I go for a run in the meantime? Take a breath and say hello to some old buddies?"  
"Sure, take your time."  
He wiped the tears from her cheek with his thumb. "Really?"  
"Yes. I'm fine. I usually never cry, these are the hormones from our little package." Since they still didn't know the sex of the child, they still called it that.  
"Alright."  
Steve helped her out of her shoes, then he changed. He got into his running clothes, she slipped a wide T-shirt over her head. "Let's go," she said, patting him on the shoulder. He kissed her, then left the apartment.  
Sara began the tedious task of loosening her hair bun, when she finally did it and brushed the hairspray out, she fell on the bed and fell asleep immediately. She neither heard Steve come back nor him taking a shower, only when he sat next to her and put his hand on her shoulder she did wake up. When she opened her eyes, she looked straight into his face.  
"How long have you been out?"  
"Almost three hours, it will soon be half past three. You must have been pretty done, you didn't even twitch when I lost the bathroom door."  
"I didn't notice anything. - Naughty boy, "she added and caught his hand, which he ran through her hair spread out on the pillow.  
"They are so wavy, you look like a Christmas angel."  
"That's because yesterday I tied them up right after the shower and used about a ton of hairspray."  
Steve wrinkled his nose. "The cloud from the garden was unmistakable."  
"Mhm. To prevent my hair from coming loose on the flight. I know you don't like the smell, so I went outside with it. "  
"Eddie gets crazy too. What is it?" He looked at her worriedly. She took his hand and put it on her belly.  
"Feel it."  
After a moment, his face brightened. "Is this...?"  
"I think it's a foot. It has become increasingly stronger in the past few days."  
Steve stroked her round belly and kissed her.  
"Have you thought about where we want to celebrate your promotion? I mean, for the first time. Because our Ohana will hardly pass."  
Sara sat up. "I fear evil. What do you think of Giordanos? Pasta for me and something from the grill for the protein needs of our Super SEAL Dad? "  
The term made Steve groan. "Where did you get that from?"  
"Your partner is extremely inventive about nicknames for you, I have to admit. Do you have another idea?"  
"No, Giordanos is good."  
"Then I'll get dressed and call Hattori to pick us up. Just maybe with another vehicle than his beige rattling box. "  
"Good idea."  
They hugged and kissed, then got ready to go out. Hattori waited for them in civilian clothes with a closed white pickup.  
"Sir, ma'am, I'm ready."


	37. Chapter 37

On the way into town, Steve hardly interrogated the lieutenant. Sara was almost embarrassed. "Steve, can you please stop cross-examine? I assure you, I've known the lieutenant for years, he's okay, "she asked from the back seat. Her husband turned to her. He just looked a little guilty. "Please," she repeated quietly. He nodded. They drove towards the city center when Steve suddenly shouted: "Pull over!"  
The car was still rolling when he jumped out and ran back along the street. Sara turned and watched him go. After a moment, she spotted him on the street corner with an older man with a baseball cap.  
"Are you all right, ma'am?" Asked Hattori, who had stopped at the roadside.  
"Yes, thank you. Wait here."  
"May I help you?" Asked the lieutenant.  
"I'm fine," Sara replied, sliding off the seat.  
She walked towards Steve, who was talking to the stranger. The men's body language told her that they seemed to know each other for a long time, even if they weren't necessarily best friends. But there was no danger if she'd get closer.  
Steve was irritated to see the other man break off in the middle of the sentence and stare at something behind him. He turned his head and saw Sara walking the last few meters to them. When she stopped next to him, she looked quizzically between them: "Steve?"  
"Sara, that's Lieutenant Commander Joe White, retired. Joe, Commander Sara McGarrett. "  
Joe tapped his baseball cap, ignoring Sara's outstretched hand. "Ma'am. - Your wife?"  
Sara slowly pulled her hand back when he replied, "Yes. I invited you to the wedding, several times. Only there was no reaction. "  
"I thought it was an April Fool's joke. You getting married? To the daughter of Big G? When there was nothing in the newspapers, I felt proved in my opinion that it was a joke. When Big G's daughter's getting married, it makes headlines for weeks ... "  
"Joe ..."  
Steve couldn't say more, Sara cut him off. "I'm not going to listen to this nonsense. How do you come to the conclusion that one of us attaches great importance to seeing his private life spread across the press? At least as far as Steve is concerned, you should know better. And you have neither the right nor sufficient information to make a judgment about me. You're not living up to your reputation, Commander White."  
"And you are in a position to judge that?"  
"You'd be surprised, Joe," Steve replied instead of Sara. "Are you done insulting my wife then? I was going to invite you to celebrate Sara's promotion with us, but given the circumstances, I don't think that's a good idea. We've had enough excitement the past few days that would be counterproductive in every way. You can contact me when you have refreshed your information. I don't think it will take years again. You have the number. "He put his arm around Sara, who gave White a peek, then slowly walked back to the car. "I'm sorry. He had been off the grid for years. I saw him, it was a reflex. "  
"No problem. I know what he means to you. And you're not responsible for his behavior. Let's go to Giordanos. I'm hungry and craving for a mousse au chocolat."  
"So we'll get you one." He felt Joe's look in the back as he kissed Sara on the top of the head before they got back in and continued their way.

They enjoyed the evening at the Italian restaurant and the return flight the next day, in a smaller, almost empty passenger plane, was uncomplicated. After landing in Hickam, Sara felt much better, which was probably due to the lack of tension. In front of the building, the team of PO2 Keahi and PO Bloom were waiting again, next to her and another car and stood at attention when they saw them.  
"Welcome home, Commanders. Congratulations, ma'am, Keahi greeted her. "Captain Duncan lets you know you're not expected to be back in the office before Tuesday unless anything special arises."  
"Thank you, Keahi," Sara nodded to her assistant.  
Bloom also congratulated her, then they both drove off in the Navy car. "Do you want, Steve?" She asked him to his surprise and held out the car key. "So you don't get out of practice?"  
"You trust me with your car? Are you all right?"  
"Mhm." She nodded. "If you want to keep the license for the hand control system, you have to practice regularly. And why should Ben request a rental car every time? But be nice to my little one. It's not Danny's Camaro."  
"Sure I will. I have fragile goods on board." He gave her a kiss, then took the key and got in on the driver's side. At first it took a little self-control, but then he had got used to the driving style with the steering wheel control and he actually enjoyed taking it a little easier.

They made a short stop on the way home because Steve wanted to check out headquarters. To his surprise, they found the entire team there, and they received a few compliments for their appearance. Even Danny let himself be carried away: "I didn't think I would ever say that, but you two in uniform are awesome to behold. But it's kind of funny that Sara is now outranking you. Don't you have to greet her too? "He teased.  
"Only on special occasions. Where's Junior and Eddie? "  
Jerry laughed. "Eddie is currently taking our ex-SEAL for a walk. But they will come back soon, then you can take your furry friend home with you. When's the party gonna take place?"  
"Next weekend. Let me get back first, okay? "Sara asked.  
"Clear."  
The door opened behind them, then Junior could be heard shouting: "Eddie! Eddie, stop! Stop!" The dog seemed to take him as seriously as ever, running unabated towards Steve, who caught him before he reached Sara, and cuddled vigorously. "Hello, big boy. Nice to see you. Did you give Junior a proper walk?"  
Eddie wagged his tail heavyly and licked Steve's face. He wiped the drool with his hand and sat up. "I would say yes," he laughed, looking at the sweaty officer who had come up to them. "We'll have to work on that somehow."  
"Sir." Junior nodded, panting, he just couldn't seem to do more. He coughed, then cleared his throat. "Commander McGarrett, congratulations on your promotion."  
"Thank you. But I think you should finally start calling me Sara, that's getting embarrassing."  
"Yes, ma'am. I mean Sara. Sorry."  
The team around them laughed.  
"Let's go, Sara. I want to get out of my uniform and take a shower, "Steve explained. "Now I know HQ is still working."  
"As if it had ever been different in your absence," replied Lou. "Danny is already keeping us busy," he winked, then they said goodbye and left the building with Eddie right behind them.

XXXXXXX

Two weeks after the party, Sara had made a short trip to Vancouver and made plans on some purchases for her day off.  
When she stopped in front of Danny's house, she noticed a white limousine with light seats behind the Camaro in the driveway, which she did not recognize. Thoughtfully she removed the keys and got out.  
She could knock only once when the door was already opened. In front of her was a dark-haired woman, unknown to her, who asked: "Can I help you?"  
"Um. Yes. I'm Sara, I wanted to pick up Grace, we have an appointment."  
"Is that Sara?" She heard Danny's voice from the kitchen, then he came into view. "Hey."  
"Hello Danny."  
"Maybe you let her in and sit down first, as Grace and Charlie are still arguing about the bathroom?" The detective asked the stranger, who was still holding the door.  
"Sure. You're welcome."  
Sara took a closer look at her. "You are Rachel, aren't you?"  
"Where did I just leave my education?" Danny called. "Rachel Edwards, Grace' and Charlie's mom, Sara McGarrett, the wife of my incredible boss Steve. Somehow it never happened in the past year that I could introduce you. "  
The women shook hands. "Hello. Danny, I have to admit, you were right."  
"By which?"  
"When I first met Grace at the Palace, you said she was coming after her mother. You were right. She looks like you. Charlie comes after Danny more," Sara turned to Rachel.  
"That is true, however. Maybe you want to sit down? Grace will be right there. I just wanted to pick up Charlie. My daughter said you want to go shopping? "  
"Yes. I need a few new tops, it's getting tight," Sara pointed to her baby belly, over which her top was clearly stretched. She took a seat on one of the chairs at the dining table.  
Rachel smiled. "Congratulations. Excuse me, but the idea of Steve as a father is something ... I can't think of a fitting word for it ... "  
Sara smiled too. "You are not the first. I've heard that before. But since I know how he deals with Joanie and how much Charlie and Grace like him, I have no doubt about it. Just Sara, "she added, holding out her hand to Danny's ex-wife again.  
"Rachel. Where do you want to go, maybe I can give you a tip?"  
"Ala Moana Mall. I've browsed a bit online, but I prefer to be able to see and touch things. And as long as I am still hardly good on foot, I would like to take the opportunity for an excursion."  
"I can understand that. But you will definitely find something there. Grace! Charlie! We don't want to wait here until sundown."Rachel called into the hall.  
Shortly afterwards they heard the clapping of feet, then Charlie stormed into the living room with a backpack, followed by his sister.  
"Hey, Auntie Sara," the boy called, then jumped into his father's hug.  
"Hello Charlie," she greeted him with a laugh. Grace also greeted the group.  
"Come on, otherwise they'll start without us," his mother asked him. Danny wished him a lot of fun, then the two left the house. "Adventure camp. The first time," he explained.  
"It will be nice. Steve has already left for the office, he said he had to do something in the way."  
"That's okay. Grace." Danny pulled his wallet out of his pocket.  
"Leave it alone, Danny. That's on me."  
"Sara, it really isn't necessary. The clothes for my children ... "  
"Danny, I really don't want to argue with you. If you really want to, give her the money for a decent sundae. But the rest is my invitation," Sara contradicted and got up so that she was at eye level with him. He raised his hands. "Okay, okay. Don't argue with pregnant women." He took a twenty dollar bill from his wallet and handed it to Grace. "Thank you, Danno."  
"Have fun."  
"See you later, Danny. Take good care of my husband. "  
"Sure." After a brief hug, they started off. They drove a bit together, then Danny turned onto the freeway while she stayed on the normal roads with Grace.


	38. Chapter 38

"So, how are you and the little package?" Grace asked.  
"Well. The doctor is satisfied. The leg cramps have been somewhat limited until now. And no, it didn't tell us what it is. "  
"Almost as mysterious as his daddy," laughed the girl. "How's Steve doing? He barely had you lift a glass at the party. "  
"Just like that. It is a lasting balancing act. I'm glad if he helps me, and some things I can't manage on my own anymore. But I have to be careful not get overwhelmed by him. He's like he is. "  
"Mhm," said Grace, who was busy with her cell phone.  
"Do you already have an idea what you want to look for?"  
"A top or two. And a shoulder bag."  
"OK. We will definitely find something there."  
"Sara, is something wrong?" Grace asked after a while.  
"Why?"  
"You keep looking in the rearview mirror. You usually don't do that this often."  
Sara looked in the mirror again. "There's a patrol car behind us, has been for a long way. I keep asking myself whether he is escorting us or if something is wrong with the car. But that's quite not possible. It has been for inspection a few days ago. And Ben is more than thorough. "  
"Shall I call Danno?"  
"Wait for it."  
After the next traffic light, the patrol car switched on the blue lights and gave them the signal to stop. Sara pulled into a driveway and stopped. The patrol car came to a stop behind her. She watched the officers get out.  
"Grace, turn on the voice recorder and put the phone in your pocket. Move slowly. And stay calm. "  
The girl did what she said, then folded her hands in her lap. "What do you think...?"  
"Trust my knowledge of human nature." Sara lowered the window. "Good afternoon, officer ... Kahue." She read the name from his chest.  
"Driver's license and vehicle documents," the man said without greeting while his partner circled the car.  
"My driver's license is in my pocket in the back seat. The vehicle documents are in the center console. I would like to point out that my service weapon is also there. "  
"Get out!" Ordered the officer, who now had a demonstrative hand on his weapon.  
"If you would kindly take a step aside so that I can open the door properly." The man gritted his teeth and moved a few centimeters so that she got out of the car with difficulty. On the other side, Grace had got out of the car, stood by the door, and watched her. Sara nodded reassuringly.  
"Stand back. What are these built-in components on the steering wheel? "  
"Hand controls. I am disabled. It's all in the vehicle documents. Officially approved and I have the necessary driving license. If you let me take my handbag out, I can hand it over to you. "  
He pushed her back one step, opened the back door of the car, and pulled out her bag. "This is your bag?"  
"Yes."  
The officer pulled his handles apart and looked inside. "You should have mentioned that you don't just have one gun with you. Hands on the back."  
"There's no gun in my pocket. There is a foldable walking stick in the bag. As I said..."  
"Na na. Bla bla. Hands on the back."  
"But ..." came from the other side of the car. Sara glanced quickly at Grace and shook her head.  
"Kahue, aren't you exaggerating? They are a pregnant woman and a young girl. No felons, "the other officer said as he handcuffed her.  
"Shut up, get another patrol and a tow truck. Who knows what else got manipulated on the car, "the officer ordered, then began to search her bag and bagging some of the contents. Another patrol car arrived shortly thereafter. The officer spoke to the officers who had arrived and turned to Grace. The girl called to her: "I'll call them", which she nodded to before she was taken to the patrol car.  
The officer who had raised objections was at least smart enough to belt her on, then drove them to the HPD headquarters. Knowing that she knew some of the people there and that Steve was only a few minutes away kept her calm as Kahue got her out of the car and pushed toward the building. "Faster," he urged as she took the stairs step by step.  
"I already said I am disabled. And without being able to hold on to the handrail, there is no faster way, I don't want to risk falling. "  
"Bla, bla ..." repeated Kahue. The other officer stopped him halfway up the stairs. "You heard her. Let me do that. "He pushed his partner away, then adjusted to Sara's speed and inconspicuously supported her. "Thank you," she said softly.  
Finally they reached the front door. Kahue glared at her as they entered the building. They were only a few steps into the main hall when she heard a surprised "Sara!" She turned her head and sighed when she spotted Duke Lukela hurrying towards them between the desks. "What are you doing here? And what is that? "He asked in the direction of the two officers.  
"Apparently there are officers here who know neither hand controls nor walking stick, Duke."  
Kahue cutted her off: "A manipulated car, weapons in a car with a minor, presumably driving under the influence of medication, long list up until now."  
Duke raised his eyebrows. "Minors?"  
"Grace was with me, she must have called Danny and Steve ..."  
"This will be fun ..." Duke murmured, then ordered: "Take the handcuffs off, Promm."  
"But ..." Kahue objected.  
"Promm," repeated Duke.  
She couldn't help but grin at Duke's dry saying. The moment the handcuffs were removed and she rubbed over her wrists, she felt a sharp stab in her right calf, a sign she knew only too well. "Duke, I have to sit down," she said softly.  
He didn't ask, instead he shouted, "A chair!", and several seats were pushed to her within seconds. Not a moment too late, for as soon as she was sitting, a cramp pulled the muscles in her leg, which made her breathe in hissingly.  
"Do you need a doctor?"  
"No. There's something in my pocket that helps ... "

Despite the comforting words from Danny in the passenger seat, Steve's anger increased every second on the short drive. Exceptionally, his partner did not protest when he left the Camaro in front of the HPD, after all, it was also about his daughter. They rushed together to the entrance.  
There was almost no getting inside because of the uniforms. The crowd divided before him like the Red Sea before Moses, when he shouted: "Duke! What's going on here?!"  
He spotted the sergeant, his wife in a chair beside him, rubbing her leg. Danny stayed close behind him as he made his way and finally crouched in front of her. "Sara, are you okay? Grace called, said an insane officer would have arrested you."  
"I can't judge about the 'insane'. My leg is one big cramp, otherwise I'm fine."  
"Where's your bag?"  
"And where's Grace?" Danny interjected.  
"There was another patrol car on site, she is with these officers. Steve, can you please save my car? The officers ordered a tow truck before they brought me here, I don't want some clueless boy touching my car and break something in the end. "  
Steve turned his head. "Duke?"  
"Sure. Give me the license number." He picked up the phone.  
"Hawaii AGG-50N. They stopped us in a parking lot at the 25 Block of Kapiolani Blv," said Sara.  
"Just leave the car there, it will be picked up by someone who is familiar with the technology," Steve ordered. "Where are your belongings? You are in pain."  
"The officer has my bag." She pointed in the direction in which the crowd had reduced significantly. Nobody wanted to be around when he really started. He found an officer holding Sara's shoulder bag and a whole bundle of evidence bags. The man seemed to shrink with every step he came closer to him. "We'll talk later," he threatened, then took the things from him. He quickly tossed the whole collection onto the desk next to Sara and rummaged until he found her emergency bag. He hurriedly picked out one of the electrolyte bottles and gave it to her, then crouched down and began to gently stretch and massage her leg as she drank. Concerned, he discovered small beads of sweat on her forehead.  
"Sara!" Came a sudden shout, then Grace stormed into the room.  
"Hey, monkey, are you okay?" Danny caught his daughter.  
"Yes, of course, I'm fine. Sara, are you all right? Uncle Duke, how can you have such idiots work for you? "  
"I have to ...", Kahue started to protest, but Danny just barely said "shut up".  
"I've got everything on here," Grace said, holding out her cell phone to her father. "Sara told me to turn on the voice recorder and I recorded everything. She told him that she had a gun in the car and that the car was adjusted for her handicap. All he could think of was 'blah, blah'. He didn't even take a look at the papers. "  
"Thank you, honey, we'll sort it out right away," Danny said, pulling her towards him. "Are you okay, or should we take you to the doctor, Sara?"  
"It's just the leg and it is starting to wear off," Sara answered quietly. "Steve is - unfortunately - pretty trained at it. Rushing up the stairs outside was not improving it. "  
"Why did the officer stop you at all?" Danny asked.  
"You have to ask him. I didn't drive too fast and in accordance with the regulations. Maybe he doesn't like Japanese cars or something like that. "  
"We'll find out. Duke, do you have a room where we can talk? "  
"Over there, the office."  
"OK. Sara, here are your things."  
"Just throw everything in the bag. But give me the stick."  
Steve shook his head. "You have a choice, the chair has wheels, I push you over or I carry you over." They gave themselves a quick look duel, but finally she gave up. He lifted her off the chair and carried her into the office. Grace had taken her bag and was opening the door for them. When Danny, Duke and the two officers finally came in, the room was quite crowded, but he didn't care. "Grace, tell us."  
Danny's daughter reported meticulously from their departure on. Kahue tried to interrupt her a few times, but was stopped by Duke. Then she played the recording from her cell phone.  
During Grace's report, Sara had gathered her papers from her pocket. The officer had also brought the vehicle documents and her weapon in the evidence bags. When the recording was over, she slid her chair closer to the table. "Since you obviously didn't want to take the time before, now here and in front of witnesses: my driver's license. The hand control license. The vehicle registration with the approval for the conversions. My pregnancy book. My disability card. My gun license. Oh, and my Navy ID card."  
"Navy? Commander? ", Kahue read in surprise from the last document.  
"Exactly," Steve confirmed.  
"Remaining driving under the influence of medication and a weapon in a car with a minor," insisted Kahue.  
Danny spoke up. "Do you see this here, Officer?" He pointed to his belt, on which his badge and holster were clearly visible.  
"Yes?"  
"It is a weapon. Grace is my daughter. I also carry my weapon when she is in the car, or my son, because I am a police officer, that is my right. Just like Commander McGarrett's right to have her service weapon in her car. As long as we handle it responsibly, that's not a problem. "  
"And I don't take medication that affects my ability to drive. It's just magnesium and other minerals that are supposed to prevent cramps like that. Among other things, exactly because of these cramps, I drive with hand controls. I'm still interested in what made you chase us for miles and then stop. "  
When she got no answer, Steve finally pushed her aside, leaned on the table with both hands, and leaned toward the officer. "We are waiting."  
Danny added: "I'm waiting too. And I hope the answer is good, because his pregnant wife and my daughter were sitting in the car. "  
Finally the man who said 'Promm' on his name tag spoke up. "I don't know what my ... partner had in mind. But I told him that they were only two women and not serial criminals."  
Steve turned his head. "Sara?"  
"That's right, we heard that on the recording. He also helped me on the stairs. You can only blame him for not protesting more strong."  
"As an officer, I have the right to carry out traffic controls at all times," Kahue finally snapped.  
"It is uncontended, but you do not have the right to be disrespectful to an absolutely cooperative road user. This is Hawaii, not the Wild West. Even if you didn't know at the time that Commander McGarrett is Navy, "Duke instructed the officer. "Sara, do you want disciplinary proceedings against Kahue to be opened?"  
"Above all, I want my peace."  
Steve put a hand on her shoulder. "Okay. Kahue, we do without the disciplinary procedure. On one condition: If you ever see my wife's car somewhere again and there's no BOLO on it, then turn around, drive away and keep as much distance as possible. Otherwise you will first get into trouble with your superiors - and then with me. Roger that?"  
"Sir."  
"Go," Duke ordered the officers, and both hurriedly left the room.  
"I would have sunk the guy into the ground without a flinch. You're going to be a softie, SEAL-Dad," Danny teased. Duke nodded in agreement, he looked almost disappointed.  
"I only avoid unnecessary stress for my pregnant wife. Sara, I'll just call Ben to get the car and I'll drive you home. "  
"Objection."  
"What?" Steve's head snapped up, already holding his cell phone.  
"I think my job is done here," Duke said hastily and went outside.  
"You find someone to take us to my car, and then I drive Grace to the mall. I owe her a bag and some ice cream. Simply because she stayed so cool."  
"You really don't have to ...", Danny's daughter put in before Steve started: "You just were unable to stand a few minutes ago and now you want to go shopping? Are you crazy?"  
"No, I'm not crazy. If I had let every little cramp allowed to stop me, I would have been in a wheelchair for ten years or be in bed permanently, Steve."  
"But now you are no longer solely responsible for yourself."  
"I know that. But I can definitely assess my strength. I assume you're here with Danny's car, I can't get in there. Shall I call us a taxi? "  
"No, Sara, be reasonable!" Steve exclaimed angrily.  
"I am reasonable. I also have Grace with me as a chaperone."  
She pulled the stick out of her pocket on the table before packing up the other things. Finally she took out her cell phone. "So?".  
"Okay, I'm talking to Duke." As he went out, he cursed under his breath.  
"Not bad."  
"What?"  
"Not bad," Danny repeated. "Steve found his master in you."  
"I wouldn't call it that way. It's like any other relationship, sometimes we just have different opinions."  
"But if you don't feel good enough, we can postpone it anyway, Sara," Grace repeated.  
"We're going." Sara got up vigorously and headed for the door. Her husband came to meet her in the guard room. "Officer Promm takes you back to your car. But please, Sara, take it slow. "  
"Always."  
Twenty minutes later, the patrol car dropped her off next to her own vehicle, which was still in the same place. When Sara circled the Prius and examined it, the Camaro stopped next to her and Steve got out. "Is the car okay?"  
"Looks exactly like I left it. I wasn't in there yet. You didn't have to follow." Steve didn't answer, instead he looked at the car again. She exchanged a look with Grace, who got in on the passenger side. "Steve?"  
"Mhm?"  
"Are you coming to the mall now?"  
He raised his head. She went closer to him and looked him in the eyes.  
"Might do," he finally answered. "The call earlier cost me a year of my life, Grace didn't get out a straight sentence," he said. "Danny laughed," her husband pointed to his partner, who was leaning against the car while waiting. "Said I shouldn't have a heart attack before birth, the next twenty-one years would be exhausting enough."  
"I am sure, with you as a dad, this child gets the first lesson of self-defense right after taking his first step. But don't you have anything more important to do than go shopping with us? "  
"Nothing is more important than you. Than our families. And no, we currently have no case that prevents us from taking care of you. "  
She put a hand on his cheek. "My crazy, caring SEAL man. I love you."  
He put his hand over hers, with the other he pulled her close and kissed her.  
"It's really heartwarming to watch you, but we're getting old here," Danny teased.  
Sara laughed. "Let's go."  
The men stayed just enough at distance to stay out of their way during their tour of some shops, before they finally settled down as a group of four to a sundae. Grace got her bag and Sara also found some things she bought.


	39. Chapter 39

Sara smiled and looked out of the bedroom window at the Pacific, where at a distance she could see the silhouette of her husband, who was plowing through the water with powerful swims.  
"Your dad has to catch some Hawaiian waves again," she said softly to the child, who was moving in her belly under her soothing hand. Meanwhile it was the beginning of May and she had been wearing maternity uniforms in the office for a few weeks, because with her early seventh-month belly she no longer fit in her pants.  
Steve had come back from a week's reserve duty a good hour earlier, had just taken time for a hug and a hungry kiss, and then headed straight for the water. He had stripped off his uniform while running and plunged headfirst into the floods.  
Sara already knew this, so in the foresight she had already put a towel and fresh clothes for him on the chair right on the bank. She had followed him calmly and, with Eddie's help, had collected the uniform parts to put into the laundry. After that she had set the coffee table on the terrace.  
Steve had turned and headed for the bank again. When she turned to leave the bedroom, she noticed her hair was loosening and discovered the hair band that had slipped out on the floor. With a sigh, she left it there and swiveled to the bathroom to get a new hair tie. As she combed her hair and finally tied a ponytail, her eyes got caught by something out of the window.  
It looked to the front of the house so she had an overview of the forecourt and the driveway, where a black impala was slowly approaching. She swore softly.  
"Eddie," she said without raising her voice. The dog had hardly left her side in the past few days, so she didn't even flinch when she suddenly felt a wet nudge on her leg. She put her hand on his muzzle and said softly, "Quiet. Get Steve. Go."  
In response she got a soft "woof", then the dog ran away. She followed him slowly up to half the height of the stairs, where she could not be seen from outside.

When Steve was just lowering the towel after rubbing his hair dry, he saw Eddie jumping out through the open dining room window. He raised his eyebrows in surprise, knowing that his four-legged roommate had no problem opening the door and usually did.  
Eddie ran towards him, pulled on his shorts, then ran around him and back to the house. Except for a muffled growl, he made no sound. At the same time, he wagged his tail.  
"Hey buddy, what's this about?" Steve asked.  
Eddie ran towards him again, around him and back. The dog obviously wanted to show him something. As he passed, he pulled his T-shirt off his chair and put it on, then went inside silently. It was absolutely silent in the house. That made him suspicious, because if Sara needed his help, she would have called for him. He pulled his gun out of the desk drawer and worked his way into the living room.  
"Sara?", he whispered.  
"Up here." He turned his head and saw her standing on the stairs. "There is a black car in front of the house that I don't know. He was there on Friday and watched the house. When Lou came, he was gone. I couldn't recognize the driver," she reported shortly.  
"Okay. Go upstairs, lock yourself up in the bedroom. The reserve weapon is in my bedside table. Eddie, guard Sara," he ordered the dog, who immediately rushed up the stairs.  
He waited until he heard the bedroom door click, then went back into the garden, sneaked around the house and past the garage, so that he arrived right in front of the car's hood. The license plate showed the logo of a car rental company.  
With his gun raised, he shouted: "Get out. Hands up so I can see them. Get out of the car." He recognized a dark-haired five-day-beard man who slowly opened the door and got out. "Who are you? What do you want here?"  
"Are you Commander McGarrett?"  
"Who wants to know that?"  
"I got your address from Joe White. My ID is in my pocket. I am unarmed."  
"Get it out. Slowly," Steve ordered, slowly lowering the gun, but holding it until the man pulled out his wallet and showed him his Navy ID. "OK. What do you want here? And why Joe? "  
"To thank you. For being still alive and able to see my children growing up. I found out over few secret paths that a Commander McGarrett played a significant part in it. I was training at White two years after you. He spoke a lot about you."  
"Mhm." Steve put the gun in the back of his almost dry shorts. "Come in and have a cup of coffee. We're have to talk. There obviously has been a misunderstanding."  
"Misunderstanding? But I really didn't want your Sunday afternoon ... "  
"Come on in," Steve repeated, making a prompt gesture. The visitor locked his car, then followed him inside. He literally felt his surprised look in his backl when he called out in the living room: "Eddie, all safe. We have visitors."  
"Who's Eddie?"  
"Our dog. You pretty scared my wife. He takes care of her upstairs. If I don't give the all-clear, he won't let her out."  
"That was not my intention. Sorry. Interesting dog..."  
"He was with the DEA some time ago," Steve said dryly. "I'll just get you a cup. Out there," he pointed to the patio door.  
When he stepped out with the dishes in his hand, the guest, guarded by Eddie, was standing next to the coffee table. "I wanted to sit down, but he didn't like it that much, he growled at me."  
"Take the other chair, he shouldn't have anything against that." Steve watched his visitor carefully circle the dog without taking his eyes off him, and then settled on the chair on the other side of the table. "See?"  
He was just putting the coffee down after moving the cake stand and other plates when the man shot up again. "Ma'am. I apologize for bothering you. And that I break up your Sunday afternoon ..."  
"That's all fine, but will someone take this from me first, please?" Sara explained, who had come through the door with a glass carafe in one hand and a coffee pot in the other. Eddie was on the verge of performing a haven't-seen-in-hundred-years joy dance when she briefly ordered him: "Eddie, it's fine. All good. Stop! Go Base!"  
The dog paused and followed the order to go to its place. He sat carefully in his basket and kept an eye on her. Steve took the cans from his wife and put them on the table. With a quick glance, he noticed that had changed her dress, instead of his washed-out navy T-shirt, she was wearing one of her maternity shirts and one of the softly falling cloth pants, of which she had so many.  
"Maybe I'll take over the introduction," Steve announced after clearing his throat. "Chief Brian Masterson, this is my wife. Commander Sara McGarrett, U.S. Navy."  
He watched the man's eyes widen. He looked from her to him and back. "You are Commander McGarrett?" He asked, clearly surprised.  
"We both are. However, Steve is now part of the reserve," she explained, ignoring the small difference.  
"Then you both have ...?"  
"The main part was done by my wife. I was just the chauffeur," Steve corrected while Sara sat down on the chair that Eddie had just defended. He poured her tea and himself and the visitor coffee and served cake, then the two men took a seat too, with Masterson visibly hesitating. "I'm just ... surprised."  
"I can't blame you, Chief," Sara nodded. "Perhaps it will help you that this form of ... confusion is happening more than often. You are by no means alone. Have a sip of coffee and eat something first. This is Apple Pie based on a family recipe, I just baked it this morning. And then tell us how you found out about me and how you got our address."  
The coffee table was quiet for a while. Steve put the fork away first. "Well, we're still curious."


	40. Chapter 40

Masterson cleared his throat. "First of all, please let me hear again that it was not my intention to startle you, ma'am ..."  
Sara cut him off. "God, Chief, it's Sunday, we're sitting on the patio and the majority of us doesn't even wear shoes. Just call me Sara."  
"Aye. After I had recovered to some extent, I couldn't help asking how they managed to find me. Not because I wasn't grateful, but somehow I couldn't believe it. When this Amar caught me and locked me in this cellar, I was almost done with everything.  
I know what you're going to say now. We are trained for such moments. Coming out of there alive was unlikely to impossible. So I focused on mentally preparing myself for any attempts to squeeze information out of me. Then, when the rescue team got there ... "The chief paused briefly in his report, then cleared his throat. "I digged until someone gave me the name McGarrett. I knew it from BUD / S, I completed it under Joe White two years after Steve. He spoke a lot about him. That's why I contacted White, it took a while. But finally I was able to persuade him to give me the address. After the doctor declared me fit to fly, I came here. I was here on Friday before, but nobody was at home then."  
"That is not right, I was at home, but alone," corrected Sara.  
"But there was no car ..."  
"Steves has been on base ..."  
"And where was yours?" Steve interrupted.  
"Ben had it from Friday to Saturday to clean it. Booster had left a present in it. He jumped into the trunk when I unloaded the groceries. Booster is the male cat of our neighbors. The only cat on this island that doesn't like Steve. And since he doesn't like dogs either and my car smells like Eddie ...", she explained to the visitor.  
"Ugh," Masterson said. "Cat urine is something terrible."  
"Yes. Above all, the aroma development in the climate here ... is very interesting. That's why I immediately made sure that someone took care of it. I can't do that right now. So, there was no car there. I found your behavior ... strange, so I didn't move, I called someone from Steve's team. When he arrived, you were already gone."  
"I waited a bit, but since nobody came, I went back to the hotel. I have to admit that I mostly overslept yesterday, the jet lag seems to have taken me more than I thought. And today I wanted to try again before I fly home to my family tomorrow."  
"I know the jet lag too well," Sara nodded.  
Steve watched the chief look at his wife. Then he asked her: "And it is really your work I was found?"  
"Do you have any doubts because she's a woman?" He snapped.  
"No, for God's sake. But Sara is pregnant and ... "  
"That doesn't stop me from watching and thinking. Mostly not. But I'm glad I was able to help you get back to your family."  
"My wife and two boys are very grateful. Me too. Did you ... from here ...?"  
"You know I can't tell you anything about this, Chief. I was contacted because one of your kidnappers had previously been part of my job. You were very lucky, Chief, even though it may not feel that way sometimes."  
"At the latest when I can read a bedtime story to my sons again, I know it again."  
As he spoke, Steve saw Masterson repeatedly scratching his left arm unconsciously. He heard a soft beep from the house.  
"Excuse me for a moment," asked Sara. He got up and helped her up. She disappeared inside without comment. Masterson watched her go.  
"She'll be right back," Steve couldn't help but prick.  
"Sorry. I didn't mean to be disrespectful, you see me full of admiration for your wife. May I ask where ... "  
"Yes?"  
"I had the impression she was dealing with an old injury ..."  
"She is," Sara replied instead of him. She came back to the terrace, a half-full glass with an orange liquid in one hand, a white plastic bottle in the other. "And that's why I know that this should help your arm." She sat down and held the bottle out to him as she sipped of the glass.

"What's this?"  
"A balm for your scars. At the beginning, the climate was a bit difficult for me, too, until my skin got used to the permanently high humidity."  
"How do you...?"  
"I know about your injuries and I know the kind of scar on your left arm. My leg looks the same."  
Steve was surprised to see her raise her left leg. He hadn't looked at the chief's arm that closely, but the double 'T' was visible, just like hers.  
"I was given a titanium rod, the arm was smashed," Masterson said as he took the bottle and unscrewed it. He smelled, then pressed some balm on his arm and started rubbing it in.  
Meanwhile, Sara explained: "My scar is not so beautiful because there were numerous other wounds. It wasn't a 'work injury', it was a car accident. Both legs were broken, the left one a real debris field. The titanium rod was an attempt by Dr. Pine to save it."  
"He called it the Aras method."  
"He already threatened to name it after me if it worked," Sara said with an ironic smile. "You can take the bottle with you, I have one more. Scratching up the fresh scars is dangerous."  
"It seems to me I don't only owe my life to you, but also my arm."  
"You're exaggerating." She had emptied the glass, now she asked: "Steve, can you pour me some more tea? That taste is ... " Sara hadn't finished when he was already holding the carafe that had been out of her reach. "Thanks." With a deep pull, she washed down the previous drink. Steve noticed that the chief was watching her. "A mix of minerals that I have to take regularly. The aroma is not bad in itself, but it leaves a terrible aftertaste," said Sara. "What did Dr. Pine say? What is the chance your arm will regain full mobility?"  
"I'm now at about eighty percent usability. I should be fully operational again in about four to six weeks. Whereby I'm thinking about to resign. Or to be transferred to a desk job. I always thought it was a rumor, but there really is a feeling that I have reached a certain point."  
"I know that too," Steve nodded. "Take your time, talk to your wife. You will make the right decision."  
"Can you get me my tablet, please," Sara asked after an intensive look at Masterson. He went inside to the desk and brought his wife the Computer. Her visitor watched in confusion as she typed on the device for a moment, then picked up a notepad and began to write. "May I ask what you are doing there?"  
"If you are about to make such serious decisions, it helps immensely if you can ask people who have already taken this route. I'll write down a few addresses for you. Would you want to stay in Virginia if you quit or go back to South Carolina?"  
"No idea. I hadn't thought that far yet. How do you know where I'm from ...?"  
Sara just raised her eyebrows, said nothing, and continued to write. Finally she tore the sheet off the writing pad and gave it to Masterson along with a card.  
"These are contact details in Chesapeake and Charleston. Even if you don't want to go to South Carolina or change your mind, you should speak to Jasper Fellowes in Charleston. He went through the same decision-making process as you and has helped many others with it. Tell him Sara Anderson sends you. Jasper sometimes is a little ... peculiar, but a good advisor. The other is my business card. The rank is no longer correct, the phone numbers are. If I can help you, call me."  
"Human Resources?" Masterson read and smiled.  
"You're a language expert officially," Steve teased.  
"That's true. I have no idea how to thank you."  
Sara put the tablet on the table and grabbed her husband's hand. He gave her a gentle squeeze as she spoke. "You don't have to thank me, Chief. But I would like to ask you to promise something to me."  
"Anything, go ahead." Masterson sat up.  
"You are looking pretty stable at the moment and the reports are positive. But if you discover signs of PTSD on yourself, or if your family points some out to you, please don't take it lightly and get help. I lost my first husband and my health to this demon. Don't let your wife and sons go through the same."  
Steve could hear the effort Sara was having to keep her voice steady. Masterson didn't seem to miss it either, he saw compassion in his eyes. "Sara, I have also seen soldiers, good friends, perish in this demon. And I know how much their families have suffered. I can't promise that one day the demon won't have me in its claws. But I'll try to take good care of myself. Thanks for the addresses. And the balm. I'm going to go back to the hotel now and give you your well-deserved Sunday afternoon, I've already used up too much of your time." He stood up. "Stay seated, Sara. I wish you all the best for your family. Steve ... "  
"I'll walk you out."  
He watched Masterson and Sara shake hands, then led the chief back through the house. "Thank you for your time," repeated Masterson when they reached his rental car.  
"With pleasure. I don't have to tell you not to talk about this… "  
"No, of course not. You have a remarkable wife, Commander."  
"I know. And she continues to surprise me again and again. I wish you a safe journey home, Chief. Take good care of yourself."  
"I will. Goodbye, Commander."  
They said goodbye with a handshake, Steve waited for the chief to turn onto the highway, then went back inside. Eddie danced around him as he headed for the terrace again. Smiling, he watched his wife for a moment, looking out to sea and stroking her belly, then went out and sat next to her. "Everything okay?"  
"Yes. Our package comes after his father." She took his hand and put it next to hers. He could clearly feel the child's kicks.  
"It's having fun. And otherwise? I mean, Masterson's visit was a real surprise. "  
"Somehow I can understand him. Wouldn't you have wanted to know how ...? "  
"Mhm. Let us hope that he continues to do so well."  
"He is a SEAL. He survived BUD / S under Joe White. And a lot more. I looked at his file. The chances are good. Do you know something funny?"  
"No?"  
"We were almost neighbors in Norfolk, he lives with his family just a few streets away, and yet I never met him personally before today."  
"Well, the Navy family is very, very big. I praise my little family here."  
He put his arm around Sara, pulled her close and kissed her.

XXXXXXXXXXX


	41. Chapter 41

The soft sound of rushing water woke up Sara. When she opened her eyes, she noticed that it was pitch-dark. Her alarm clock on the nightstand showed just after four. Eddie had left his blanket next to the bed, probably greeted his owner stormily after almost a week away.  
Steve had received a call six days earlier, also at late night. A member of his former SEAL team had asked him for help, and her husband had been on the way to the airport at daybreak. He hadn't told her what it was about, she'd accepted it and just made him promise to return to her safely. Even if he had taken so much equipment with him that she was certain that the assignment was anything but harmless. "If you need anything, call Danny, he's here in fifteen minutes," he had said before saying goodbye with a deep kiss.  
Sara checked the watch again. The water had been running for almost ten minutes now. She pushed back the covers and stood up. Eddie paced in the hallway outside the closed door to the guest bathroom.  
"Stay," she ordered softly, then opened the door.  
Steve was sitting on the bottom of the shower cabin, head and hands on knees drawn up, and the water pattered down on him. She spotted dirty bandages on his arm and thigh. She waited a moment, but he didn't move. Then she went to the shower and turned off the water.  
He shot up abruptly, she pulled back and stumbled. The next moment she found herself half-soaked on his chest, he hugged her like a drowning man. She felt his pulse racing, she returned the hug, slowly stroked his back, and waited for his breath to calm and his grip to loosen. When she looked into his face, she saw a cut over his left eye that was crusted over. She carefully ran her finger over it. "What have you done this time?", she asked quietly.  
"I'm back," he replied close to her ear.  
"I see that. And I'm grateful for it. Even if I don't know how you got on a plane like that. Wherever you came from. "  
"Who says I returned commercial?"  
"Mhm. Let me see." She loosened his arms, took the shower head and turned the water on lukewarm again. Then she used the water to soak the bandage on his arm, encrusted with dirt and blood, until she could loosen it. The wound underneath was clearly a graze and started to bleed again. Steve gritted his teeth as she carefully rinsed it out. She gave him the shower head, then took the first-aid kit out of the drawer and placed a gauze pad on his arm, which she temporarily sticked on.  
"Does your leg look the same?" There was no answer. "OK. I can't get there, but you can clean it off. I'll get you some clothes."  
Sara went into the bedroom and put on a dry shirt, then picked up her phone while pulling things out of the closet for Steve with the other hand. Danny was on the line after the second ring. "Sara, are you okay?"  
"Yes. I am. Sorry to wake you up. Steve is back. He's hurt and he's acting ... weird."  
"Doesn't your husband always do that?"  
"Danny!"  
"Sorry, bad joke."  
"Yes. Can you come over please? And please bring yesterday's surprise guest with you. I don't think I can persuade Steve to go to the emergency room."  
"Will do. See you soon."  
Steve had bandaged his leg again and was about to dry himself off when she came back to the bathroom bringing shorts and a t-shirt with her. In silence he took the things from her and put them on.  
"When was the last time you slept properly? Or eat something? "She asked when she saw the rings under his eyes.  
"Here."  
"I'll make you a sandwich." She went down the stairs, being sure he'd follow her. Eddie ran downstairs next to her. She quickly made a big ham sandwich that her husband downed with a few hungry bites. Without saying a word, she made another one, which he ate slower. She sat on the bench on the terrace, Steve lay next to her and his head on her lap as far as there was room for him aside of her baby ball. She reached for his hand and he closed his eyes. It must have been about a quarter of an hour before the sound of an engine in front of the house was breaking the silence. Her husband stiffened under her hand. "It's okay, that's just Danny. Go and say hello, "she ordered Eddie, who had lay down at her feet, now got up and ran around the house.  
Steve pulled away from her and sat up as steps approached on the pavement. At first Danny became visible, then another man appeared in the light falling out of the dining room. "Good Morning. Excuse me for waking you from your sleep," Sara greeted the second newcomer. Her husband next to her stretched, then said in surprise: "Max ?!"  
"Good morning, Commander. You are probably surprised at my presence. My wife and I spend a few vacation days on the island, but unfortunately we have not yet met you. However, the delicious cuisine of your charming wife has somewhat reduced this disappointment."  
Sara smiled, then said explained: "Dr. Bergman, his wife, Danny and the kids had Dinner here yesterday. I asked Danny to bring him to take care of your injuries."  
"Maybe we should go inside because the light is better," Max suggested, lifting the bag in his hand. Sara couldn't read the look Steve gave her when he got up and held the door open for Bergman to go inside.  
"Morning, Sara," said Danny when the patio door closed.  
"Thanks for coming. Do you see what I mean?"  
"Mhm. Before you ask, I don't know where he was either. I have just as much or less idea as a week ago: He called me, said he had to go and I should take care of you." The detective dropped into the chair next to Sara. "But the way he looks was a tough thing. He has such a expression when it comes to injured children. Or young girls. Whatever it is, it's pissing him off."  
"I see that too. But he evades me. "  
"After all, you have so much influence on him that he has not started an argument, but is getting patched up by Max."  
"If Dr. Bergman wouldn't be on the island, I hadn't had any idea whom to ask."  
Danny grinned. "Occasionally his successor Noelani helps us out. I think you've met before."  
"Now that you mention it. I would never have thought of that."  
"No problem, I'm here, too. Are you really okay?"  
Sara rubbed her stomach. "Yes. Our junior has just woken up and is displeased with the time."  
"Maybe it will calm down if you stay there for a while."  
"I wasn't going to go away."  
They sat silent for a while, waiting for Max and Steve to come out.  
"Sara, I can assure you, in a few weeks your husband will be like new again. I disinfected and clamped his injuries. "  
"Thank you, Max. And excuse the early disturbance again."  
"Never mind. I might not live on the island anymore, but this is still my ohana. I sincerely hope that you and Steve will honor us tonight, you are cordially invited."  
"Certainly."  
Max said goodbye and disappeared behind the house. Steve sat next to her in silence.


	42. Chapter 42

It wasn't difficult to guess Danny and Sara had spoken about him while Max had taken care of his wounds inside. The moment he saw Sara in the bathroom, he felt like he had to hold her and never let go. The images of the past few days haunted him, he couldn't calm down.  
Sara's eyes were on the sea as she caressed her stomach, Danny looked at him curiously. "Are you going to tell us where you have been, coming back in that state?" His partner finally asked.  
He looked briefly at Sara, then at him. "No."  
"Okay." Sara started to get up, shaking off his hand, when he wanted to help her. In the second attempt, she got up on her feet and went inside.  
Danny cleared his throat. "I think that's been the wrong answer. Sara is pregnant, but far from stupid. She was worried. You fly off with an amount of equipment as if you wanted to take over a third world country, but without your team. She waited for three days, but after not hearing anything from you, she started make calls. But whomever she asked, nobody had any idea. I can see that it was bad. And whatever you saw, nobody can take it from you."  
"No, damn it, you can't."  
"But it'll be easier if you talk about it, you know that, Steve. We have seen so much together. And Sara doesn't just dust files in the Navy ... "  
Steve jumped up, the pain twitching through his injured leg. "Shit, Danny, stop it. You almost sound like the blabla of this strange stress manager."  
"If it helps. The way you look, you could just use her. Optionally, some marriage counseling."  
He left Danny and ran inside. Even though it was starting to dawn, he couldn't see Sara anywhere. Then he heard noise from above and ran up the stairs. Sara stood in front of the closet in the bedroom and smoothed out a uniform shirt on a hanger. She adjusted the back strap and attached her name tag. "Sara?"  
"Hm?" Alone at that short sound he could hear that she was hurt.  
"What are you doing there?"  
"You see it. I prepare my uniform. My navy uniform. I have to be in the office at half past eight."  
"It's not even five-thirty."  
"Really", she replied sarcastically.  
"Come down with me. Please. "He put his hand on her arm.  
"What for?"  
"Standing around is not good for you. And then I can tell you in front of witnesses that I'm an idiot. "  
"Steve ..." With her arms crossed, she turned to him.  
"Can't we just pretend I said I'm just a man like that, that I want to protect you from something like that, and as if you said you didn't get where you are in the Navy today by sitting at a desk?"  
"Then I don't have to waste my breath if you already know what I want to say."  
"Will you come down then? Danny is still sitting on the terrace. I can hardly get the pictures out of my head like that, so telling the story once is enough."  
"Okay."

He suppressed a curse as he saw her slowly climb down the stairs. As if everyday life wasn't already trying her hard, she was running uselessly up and down the stairs because of him. When they got back to the terrace, there were glasses and a bottle of orange juice on the table.  
"I thought a little drink wouldn't be bad. I don't know how your coffee machine works, I'm not that classy. Besides, Sara can't drink it anyway."  
"Thank you, Danny." With a groan, Sara settled in her chair. Steve pushed a stool for her feet, then sat on the bench.  
"Colombia."  
"Pardon?" Danny said in horror. "I thought we never wanted to go there again."  
"I was in Colombia," repeated Steve. "I got a call from Caleb Stone, he's an ex-SEAL, lives in San Diego. We used to work together. His wife Frederica was at a medical congress in Germany last weekend, in a city that I cannot pronounce. On the way back she landed in Atlanta to transfer, where her track got lost. She missed her connecting flight and never arrived in San Diego. She was discovered on surveillance recordings, accompanied by two men and a woman, the faces were in the file at Interpol. Henchmen of a drug king from Colombia. Rica is from Cuba and therefore speaks Spanish fluently. They were able to track the three up to a private plane that submitted a flight plan to Mexico. But they didn't land there, later they disappeared from the radar.  
Caleb pulled a few strings, they tracked the plane via satellite, then checked the drug lord's estate. Together with a group of other people, about whom I can't tell you anything, we gained access to the property. That is huge, more than three hundred hectares. A main building where the man resided with his wife, eldest sons and their wives. A ... " He had to pause briefly, the pictures caught up with him again. "Another house, surrounded by a wall like a sultan's harem. Three dozen women, none of them older than twenty-five, many of them at different stages of pregnancy, plus a bunch of young children. A couple of older women who were probably guards. Almost everyone in the house was female, with only a few little boys to be seen. A couple of the girls, barely of school age ... They had that blank look ... They didn't even run away when we got in there ... " Steve swallowed hard. He saw Danny wiggle his neck next to him. Sara held her hands protectively over her stomach. "We didn't find Rica there. Finally, we discovered another ... building. Half underground, half dug into a mountain." He had to pause again, then reported on the people who had been chained to walls and partly to cots in windowless rooms. Men and women, some of them injured, some with signs of torture.  
"Did you find her?" Sara asked quietly after a while.  
"Thank God, yes. Alive and almost unharmed. He wanted to force her to stay in his ... harem and look after the women and children there. Now he and his family will no longer force anyone to do anything. We handed over the hacienda to the local authorities who will take care of the people. They work with some of our people, so something will really be done. There were a few injuries on our side, but nothing serious. Cal took Rica to San Diego, and she is being treated in the base hospital there. She's shaken up, but she'll make it." Steve reached for his wife's hand. "Somehow you always do, no idea how you women do it." He ran his thumb over the back of her hand.  
"I ask myself that so often."  
Danny cleared his throat. "I hope you are better now. Just stay at home for a day or two until you can move better again, there is nothing important at the moment. Then I drive home, sleep another hour. "  
Sara nodded to his partner. "Thanks again, Danny."  
"You're welcome." They hugged briefly, then Danny patted him on the shoulder and walked off. When he was out of sight, Steve got up, crouched next to Sara, and hugged her. "I love you. Bpth of you. Thank you for being there."

XXXXXXXXXXX


	43. Chapter 43

Sara heard Danny swear softly, then he stepped next to her at the window of the Five-0 headquarters. Outside the trees bent and the rain lashed against the windows.  
"Scary, isn't it?" He asked.  
"It's scary to see a hurricane throwing around the aircraft carrier you're on in the middle of the Atlantic. Besides, these are just the offshoots of Jova. The hurricane just grazes us. This building here is over a hundred years old, it has seen a few hurricanes, and it will survive this one too. "  
"There's hardly nothing getting you worked up, isn't it?" Danny looked at her in disbelief.  
"I can't change the weather either, even if I would be happier without the pain in my legs. Steve probably would have sent me to the mainland as well, like you did with Rachel and the kids. Only that I am no longer allowed to fly. So he took me to the second safest place he could imagine. Here. Our house is too close to the water. "She braced herself against the wall for a moment as she slowly turned around.  
"Are you okay?"  
"Yes. I miss the swimming program, it takes the load off my legs and relaxes my muscles. And the weather..."  
The detective nodded and stayed next to her until she reached the sofa and sat down. "One or two days, then it will be calmed down and we'll have sunshine again, day in, day out. It's a nice change. Get in touch if you need something, yes? "  
"Thank you, Danny. The storm brings at least one good thing: Nobody goes out on the street who could do anything, so you don't have to go out either."  
"Whoever might get stupid ideas out there has to do it without me. I'm not going out there, "Danny Williams explained, then disappeared into his office.  
Sara fished for the pile of books on the table and picked up the next one. They camped for another day at headquarters, Steve had put an inflatable guest bed in his office, then the storm had largely subsided. Both were tense as they drove to the house in Steve's car to assess possible damage.

Steve leaned forward as they pulled up the driveway. "That doesn't look so bad after all."  
"Mhm. But look at the Mitchells. This tree ... "  
"I told Lane years ago he had to get it removed. It looks like it's crushed half their house. We're lucky the thing fell in their direction."  
He turned off the engine and helped Sara out. They entered their house, inside it was pitch black because Steve had boarded the windows. He pressed a light switch, but nothing happened, then he switched on the flashlight he had brought and they looked around. "Looks good. The boards held up, the floor in the dining room is dry. I'm going upstairs. Wait here. Don't go into the garden alone, okay? "  
"Mhm." She waited for Steve to come back down.  
"Everything upstairs is dry and intact. I risked a look into the garden, everything a bit disheveled, but whole. The Mitchell estate looks really bad. Let's go over, I could see Lane from above."  
She tokk her husbands arm when they circled the fence to the neighboring property and approached the large-scale destroyed house of their neighbors. Between the branches of the huge tree that lay on it, they discovered the couple who had lived there.  
"Lane. Diane ", they greeted the two who came up to them.  
"Don't say it, Steve. I should have cut the tree down five years ago. Now it's taking it's toll that I didn't want to believe it. It will take a few days before you have electricity again, the tree has taken the line down. I've already called the insurance company, they'll pay you a room in the Hilton Hawaiian Village for so long, after all it's my fault and I don't think Sara wants to stay in your office permanently, in her condition."  
"She's here too, Lane, by the way. Thanks for the offer, that is certainly gonna be more pleasant than here in the dark. I'm sorry about your house. Looks like there's not much left to save."  
"Sorry, Sara. And you are right. We stored the most important things inland before the evacuation, we have already dug up a little bit today. Diane's brother is coming tomorrow, he wanted to visit us forJuly 4th anyway, he will help us clear up the rubble. It will take a while to get a construction company to rebuild, there has been some damage on the east coast. We'll be moving to the Hilton for so long. "  
"Good neighbors then." Steve patted his neighbor on the shoulder. "As far as I can, I'll help you."  
"Thank you."  
As they went back to the car, Nahele came up the drive. "Hey, where are you coming from?" Steve asked as he greeted him with a pat on the back.  
"From the bus. Hey Sara. "They hugged.  
"Hello Nahele."  
"And what are you doing out here? Has Kamekona released you? Or did you go awol?"  
"Steve, what do you think of me? I'm out of this age. This is my official day off. There's something like that even at Kamekonas, even if he doesn't like it. I wanted to see how bad it hit you. And whether my little baby brother is fine. Danny told me that you drove out here. "  
"Our house didn't suffer much," Sara reported and pointed behind her. "The neighbors were badly hit. How did you come up with the idea that the baby is a boy? So far it has been extremely successful in hiding that from us. It could also be a little sister ", she took up Nahele's formulation.  
Nahele laughed. "I know Steve. This is a boy, as much as I am standing here. "  
"Hey, what do you mean?" Her husband asked, but he only got a laugh.  
"Anyway, we're fine. Shall we take you back to town? "  
The young man shook his head. "No thanks. I've got something else to do, I'll take the bus. "  
"OK. Then stay nice, "Steve advised him, then they said goodbye.  
After lifting her into the car, her husband headed back towards town. He grinned to himself.  
"What do you think?" Asked Sara.  
"Nahele speaks of 'his little brother'. I think he adopted you."  
"You too. That was obvious, wasn't it? You are something of a substitute father for him, so it is fitting that your child could become his little brother. "  
"Our kid." Steve remarked, took his hand off the steering wheel and put it on top of hers, with which she rubbed her belly.  
"No matter what it is, but martial arts is sure to be his passion," Sara answered with a somewhat strained grin.

The move from the Palace to the Hilton was easy. The Mitchells had already reserved a mini-suite for them and they could check in immediately. Their neighbors had even made sure to request a barrier-free room with a walk-in shower. That afternoon Steve took his wife to the parking garage where they had parked their car so she could pick it up and be mobile again.

XXXXXXXXXXX

* * *

Anybody out there? I'm missing your comments. What do you think about the story, Sara and everything? Tell me.


	44. Chapter 44

Sara stared at the screen in her analysis room annoyed. She had just finished a lengthy videoconference with the Pentagon, and now a message from Keahi popped up. 'Please come to your office, there are two urgent visitors waiting here.'  
What in hell can be so urgent? How am I supposed to work here when I'm disturbed every five minutes?  
With a slight curse she shut down the system and slowly got up. The pregnancy made her more and more cumbersome and in recent time she had started to wonder how she could manage the last eight weeks. The elevator carried her to the second floor and she was stopped several times in the corridor by saluting soldiers. Keahi stood up as she stepped into her anteroom. "I'm sorry ma'am, but ..."  
"Hey, Sara." Steve appeared in the door to her office, behind him in the chair she recognized Danny.  
"Relax, Keahi. What are you doing here in the middle of broad daylight? Are you bored? "She asked the men as she sank into her desk chair.  
"No, not directly," Steve explained, while Danny just looked embarrassed.  
"But...?"  
"Please don't get upset now ..."  
Danny turned around to his partner: "That's about the stupidest sentence you can say to your wife. Or your pregnant wife. Now she will do just that. "  
"I'm gonna get really upset if you two don't stop fooling around right now and tell me what's going on," Sara interrupted the squabbling.  
Steve cleared his throat. "Lane Mitchell called me about two hours ago. He and his brother-in-law have started demolishing their house. In the process ... something went a little wrong. "  
She heard Danny mutter "a little ...".  
It was impossible to suppress a groan. "How bad is it?"  
"Our stay at the Hilton will probably take a little longer than planned."  
"Steve ..." Sara said emphatically.  
"The excavator they were using to move the tree rammed the west side, the guest toilet, the kitchen and the bathroom. The brother-in-law took the wrong lever. The stairs are broken too. The house is uninhabitable until further notice. At least Lane was smart enough to call the fire brigade straight away, they supported and secured the gallery and the rest of the house. He says he'll pay for everything and see that it will be fixed as soon as possible. "  
Sara groaned. "How good that we had already moved out with bags and baggage. Even if I didn't actually plan to live in a hotel with a baby. "  
"Hopefully it won't take that long, Sara."  
"Do you have any pictures?" Steve wiped on his cell phone, then held it out to her. The photos were roughly what he had already described to her. "Wonderful. Really wonderful. You can send him the blueprints right away, so they can do the planned conversions during the reconstruction, we add the difference. "  
"How do you come up with that now?"  
"I think constructively, Detective Williams. I have neither the desire nor the energy to get upset. That doesn't change the status quo, Danny. I suggest you make the island a little safer now and I pick up where I left off. To hear boring speeches by even more boring politicians who think they have a lot to say but are doing nothing more than spreading hot air. "  
Steve got up, came around the table and took her in his arms. "Sounds awful. Don't get carried away too much, okay? I'll see you later at the Hilton. And remember, you can look forward to the weekend, it's July 4th, big family reunion. And tomorrow is free, so let's have a comfortable day. "  
"At least something. See you later, Steve. Danny. "  
"Take care, Sara."  
After kissing her husband goodbye, the two men left Sara's office. She only got a short breath, then there was a knock on the door.  
"Yes?"  
"Excuse me, Commander ..."  
"Keahi. Come in. Do you have any more good news for me? "Sara asked, reached for her water bottle and took a sip.  
"Well ... While the gentlemen were waiting for you, I got an idea about what happened. I might be able to help. "He paused, after a prompting gesture from Sara he continued. "A friend of mine is an architect. He has won a major construction project in Texas and will soon be moving to the mainland for six months. Josh has a four-room apartment in Kamuki that would be empty in that time. "  
"What is your friend doing alone with a four-room apartment on this island? The rent can hardly be affordable with two earners. "  
"Divorce, just over a year ago. The apartment belongs to him. "  
"Aha."  
"Yes. I could call him, he would certainly not mind if you stayed there for a while, if you could cover the additional costs ... "  
"That goes without saying. Thanks for the idea, Keahi. I'll talk to my husband, then I'll let you know."  
"Always a pleasure, ma'am."

In the evening Sara had recovered somewhat from the shock, even if she was exhausted after a long day. Over dinner, she told Steve about Keahi's offer. Her husband also found the thought more pleasant than living in a hotel among tourists for weeks or months. They always ate their meals in the room, so that they had little contact with the other guests, but it was still quite crowded an noisy. A call to Keahi revealed that his friend was in Maui for the weekend but they could come over on Tuesday to see the apartment.

XXXXXXXXXXX 

After she and Steve had invited everyone for Christmas last year and they were something like homeless for the moment, Renée and Lou Grover asked for the privilege of hosting the entire troop after the traditional football game on July 4th. Again, several of the team members offered their guest rooms, but they declined all offers, also with reference to local conditions that were more of a hindrance for Sara.  
Grace kept her company under a tree on the edge of the meadow while the others fought for the ball.  
"You look tired," remarked the girl.  
"Maybe because I am tired. At the moment I'm happy for every step I don't have to take. It's pretty hard to keep my balance with my belly, and I keep having leg cramps at night. "  
"Can't Janice do anything about that?"  
"Yes. However, she hasn't been here for the last week. And because of the weather, I couldn't go swimming either, that's good for me because it relieves the strain. She'll be back on Monday. "  
"The prospects are positive everywhere. If I can help you in any way, run errands or something, you give me a call, will you? "  
"Thank you, Grace, that's really nice."  
"I like to do it. Be right back."  
The girl jumped up and ran to her brother, Charlie was just heading for the beach unnoticed by the others. She caught him and brought him back to the others. Sara nodded off while they joined the game.

* * *

Anybody out there? I'm missing your comments. What do you think about the story, Sara and everything? Reviews welcome.


	45. Chapter 45

Sara had taken Tuesday morning off to view the apartment. As she crossed the lobby with Steve, a hotel employee stopped them. "Sorry, ma'am. Unfortunately we could not pull up your car. It seems to be faulty, it doesn't make a sound. "  
Sara groaned. "And here we go."  
Steve put a hand on her shoulder. "I'll call Ben, he'll take care of it. - Keep the keys, I'll send someone over to pick up my wife's car. The man's name is Benjamin Pekua from Wai'anae North Shore Motors, " Steve instructed the man. "Where's mine?"  
"Waiting for you at my colleagues, right at the doorstep, Sir. Fueled up and ready to go."  
"Thank you."  
Steve called Ben Pekua right in the lobby and he promised to pick up Sara's car as soon as possible. In front of the hotel entrance he helped his wife into the passenger seat, then drove the short distance to the Palace.  
"And what am I supposed to do now? I hate being immobile. Where can I get a rental car on short notice?"  
"Stay calm. We don't even know what your cars problem is. If the worst comes to the worst, Ben will surely take care of a vehicle for you, he knows you. And I can drive."  
"You can't drive me back and forth all the time."  
"We'll find a solution."  
At headquarters, Lou and Jerry greeted Sara with a handshake and Danny with a hug. "What's happening? You look kind of pissed off."  
"Now just say I copied Steve's aneurysm face."  
"I didn't want to go that far ..." Danny replied.  
"And if you did, you'd be right. My car is on strike. I can live with a lot of adversity, but that drives me crazy because it is next to impossible to solve this problem in short term. I can't just get a rental car or use car sharing. That's a pain in the ass."  
"I feel you," Danny said with a sympathetic nod.  
Steve tried to say something, but was interrupted by his cell phone. The conversation was short, ended with a roll of his eyes and a short "Yes, Governor, we'll be there."  
Sara put a hand onto her back. "Who is 'we' and what does the governor want?"  
"'We' is the team and she wants to see us in her office in fifteen minutes. Some special guest comes to the island and she wants to discuss the security protocol for their stay. She didn't want to give out more details on the phone."  
"Nice. I'm going to order a taxi."  
"You're not."  
"Oh, so Mister Super-SEAL is just pulling a car out of his pocket that I can drive, right?", Sara bantered. Around them, Steve's team withdrew in mute consent.  
"Junior?"  
"Sir?" The young officer paused, the tense mood making him wince reflexively.  
"Here is my car key. You drive Sara to Kamuki for the showing and wherever else she wants to go. You never let her out of your sight for a second. And better she or the car hasn't any scratches afterwards. "  
"Thanks for the order, Steve. I am restricting the 'not for a second' with this: I can go to the toilet on my own."  
"Okay, I agree." He obviously overheard her sarcasm.  
"How kind of you. I'll go prove it and then we'll go to Kamuki. I hate being late. And I want to look at the area. "  
"Do that."  
Her husband was apparently already fully in planning mode, he just stroked her back before she went into the hallway to the washrooms. When she returned, the headquarters were empty, only Junior was standing in the hallway and waiting for her. "Ready to go?"  
"I am." She noticed how he looked at her skeptically. "I'm not an unsecured hand grenade, just pregnant and little handicapped. If you turn on your mind and listen to me we should work this out. You've already seen Steve help me into the car a few times."  
"Sure. I am not blind. Sorry, that was just a bit of a surprise to me, he just letting me drive his holy pickup. Not to mention the chauffeur service."  
"Tell me about it," Sara replied with a slight grin.  
When she arrived at the pickup, she explained to the youngest member of Steve's team the best way to help her into the car, and after he had listened carefully, the boarding went straight away. "So where is the journey going?"  
"Corner of 9th Avenue and Waialae in Kamuki. Shouldn't be difficult to find, according to my information it is the only building in the area that has more than two floors. "  
"That's okay. Should I take the freeway or drive through town? "  
"Take the freeway, I know that part of the route well enough."  
"Aye, ma'am."  
On her instructions, Junior drove around the block and they explored the surrounding streets before pulling into the parking lot in front of the six-story house where the apartment was Keahi had spoken of.  
Junior helped her get out right in front of the entrance before he parked the car a little walk away at the far edge of the parking lot and jogged over to her. "There is also a driveway to an underground parking garage on the other side," Junior remarked when he reached her.  
"Keahi mentioned something like that. It's 6.01, the name is Cooper, "Sara explained as the ex-soldier leaned towards the doorbells. He pressed the button, then it asked somewhat tinny "Yes?" from the small speaker. "Sara McGarrett. PO Keahi announced us. "  
Instead of an answer, the door buzzer sounded. Junior held the door for her. The elevator carried them to the top floor. Two doors opened off the hall, one of which was opened the moment they exited the elevator.  
"Over here," the man in his thirties who appeared in the doorway showed them the way. They stepped into a short entrance area that led directly into a large open living room with parquet flooring. "Josh Cooper. Are you Commander McGarrett?"  
"Sara McGarrett. This is Officer Reigns, he drove me here. My husband is on business at short notice and my car died this morning."  
"There are days like this ... Come in, take a look around. Keahi has already told me a lot about you."  
"Did he? I hope it didn't scare you too much, "Sara explained as she stepped to the window front. Junior had stopped in the entrance area.  
"No, on the contrary, he raves about you. You are a very pleasant boss. Before that, he had a very grumpy, moody captain, "Cooper hastened to assure.  
"Mmm. Great view. Diamond Head and back there you can even see the sea. Keahi said the apartment has four rooms? "  
"Yes, it has. Plus the kitchen and two bathrooms. You would have three of the rooms available, in the fourth I would put my things. By the way, you are also welcome to bring your dog here."  
"That's very kind," Sara nodded and turned to Cooper. "May I be indiscreet?"  
"My ex-wife and I got divorced last year. They were supposed to be guest and children's rooms. I moved my office here after the divorce. And about the child ... that's another matter. I helped building the house here, the discount on the apartment was part of my contract, "the man reported before she could ask. He pointed in the direction of a side corridor with several doors leading off. She followed him and was shown the rooms.  
"When are you moving to the mainland?" Sara finally asked in the kitchen.  
"In two weeks. But I can stay with Alika that long. PO Keahi ", he added when Sara thought at a loss.  
"Thank you. I have to admit, I forgot his first name. Is that really not a problem? "  
"No. Your broken house is one. Alika and I have known each other since we were children, his wife and daughter don't mind. I'll be gone for at least six months, you can move in here the day after tomorrow and stay as long as you want."  
"That sounds very good, thank you. Can I take a few more photos for my husband?"  
"You are welcome to come back with him later, then he can see for himself. I work here, so I'm at home. "  
"Thank you. Would you mind if I use the bathroom before we leave ...?"  
Cooper smiled. "Be my guest. I don't have any children, but I have two sisters who do. Go ahead ..."  
On the way through the apartment, Sara took a few pictures with her cell phone. Back from the bathroom, she found Junior with Josh Cooper in his study, looking at a few plans on the drawing board by the window. "That looks very interesting."  
"This is an apartment complex planned in Seattle. There are three architects with me in the last selection. Most of the plans are created on the computer, but I still like to work out some of the details by hand."  
They talked shop about the plans, then Sara and Junior said goodbye.  
When they got to the parking lot, she noticed something. She dug into her pocket, then swore, "Shit!"  
"What is it?"  
"My phone is still on the sink. I put it down ... and forgot it."  
"Then we'll get it."  
"I'll get it. Here, take my bag and get the car. "  
"Sara, you know what Steve said," objected Junior as he took over her bag.  
"What should happen to me here? Elevator up, elevator down, done. "  
"But..."  
"Fall out," Sara ordered, then pressed the doorbell.  
"Yes?"  
"Josh, excuse me, this is Sara. I left my phone upstairs. Can I come up again for a moment?"  
"Sure, I'll let you in."  
Junior's gaze in her back she opened the front door and called the elevator. When she got in, another woman, about her age, was already in it. "Hello."  
"Hello."  
Sara cast a searching look at the stranger, who in turn seemed to be watching her.  
"Exhausting, isn't it?" She asked and pointed to her belly.  
"Not too bad. I don't have to walk up the stairs. "Something about the woman struck her as strange, but she couldn't explain what. The stranger got out on the fifth floor.  
When Sara got to the sixth floor, Josh was already waiting in the doorway. "That was fast. Do you know where you left it?"  
"In the guest bathroom. On the sink. But I can get it. "In the end, they walked down the hall together and picked up the cell phone. Josh showed her to the door again. "Thank you. And excuse me for bothering you again. "  
"No problem. I'll be waiting for your call when you've made up your mind. "A phone rang behind him. "Talk of the devil. Sorry."  
"See you soon, Josh."  
He waved, then closed the door. With the phone in hand, Sara drove back downstairs alone. She left the elevator and headed for the front door, when she was hit hard on the head - and everything went black.


	46. Chapter 46

Steve noticed surprised that the pickup was already in the parking lot when he and Danny returned from the governor. He hadn't expected Sara and Junior being back so soon. Lou and Tani parked right next to him. On the way inside, they debated the information the governor had given them about the arriving politician. Inside the headquarter, Steve discovered Junior at the computer desk, but looked in vain for his wife. Then he saw what the young officer was doing at the table. "Junior, what is this about? Why are you trying to find Sara's cell phone? Where is she?"  
"I don't know. That's why I try ... "  
For a moment Steve lost his mind. The next thing he knew, Lou and Danny were pulling him away from Junior, who was panting and sliding down the wall.  
"Steve, no matter what happened, if you kill him, it won't help either of us. Let him go. Take a deep breath. Both. Junior, report, "Danny ordered in the tone normally he used, but it worked.  
The officer described the last hour and a half in short sentences. "... she went back inside, I got the car. And then she didn't come out of the house again."  
"What was wrong with 'you won't let her out of your sight'?" Steve growled.  
"Nothing, Sir. She gave me an order. And I thought the house would be safe."  
"Tell me about it. What happened next?"  
"When she didn't come out, I went back in. Up the stairs, the elevator didn't move while I got up, I would have heard that. Cooper let me into the apartment, he said she took the cell phone and he saw her get into the elevator. I searched the apartment, she wasn't there. The cell phone is on, but she does not answer, after a few dial tones the mailbox gets in. She was nowhere in the house, I tired her phone several times, but couldn't hear it anywhere. So I came here as quickly as possible to locate the phone."  
"Except that doesn't work with Sara's cell phone."  
"Yes. Somehow it's nowhere to be found, "Junior pointed to the display with the error message on the wall screen.  
Steve had a terribly bad feeling. He swallowed a few times to keep his composure. "Special protection. Danny, call Tripler. Lou, you try the other hospitals. Tani, taxi companies and the bus. Get Jerry up, I need him here. " He left Junior and took out his phone. After a quick search, he typed a number on the computer desk and established a connection.  
"Commander?" came a male voice.  
"Keahi, has my wife contacted you or is she in the office? Maybe she ordered a driver?"  
"Negative, Commander, none of that. She took the day off, wanted to see Josh. Why?"  
"Because Sara has disappeared."  
"Commander, excuse me, again ..."  
"Disappeared," repeated Steve. "Can you locate Sara's cell phone, please? You know that's not possible from here. "  
"Just a second. How long have been off contact with the Commander ...?"  
"Forty-three minutes," came from the floor, where Junior got up carefully, always making sure to stay out of Steve's reach.  
Jerry entered the door, heavily panting. "Tani says you have an emergency?"  
"Jerry, on the line that's PO2 Keahi. Keahi, Jerry is our tech specialist. Get me pictures on the monitors, "Steve ordered. Shortly afterwards he saw Keahi in the video stream on one monitor, and a satellite map of the island on the other with a marker blinking on it. A clock ran up below it.  
"Commander, the phone is in Josh's house."  
"Officer Reigns has searched everything, Sara is not there. Why the clock?"  
Keahi gave him an apologetic look. "You know your wife's security level, Commander. If there is no sign of life from her after three hours, I have to inform the captain, Norfolk and the governor."  
As he spoke, Danny returned. He put his cell phone in his pocket and shook his head. Steve swallowed again, only then could he answer. "Understood."  
Junior spoke up: "Sara only has her cell phone with her. She gave me her bag. The wallet with all the access cards is in there, I checked it."  
"Little good news," Keahi explained, but didn't seem the least bit relieved. "But even without the cards ..."  
"Do you know if Sara has been on anything sensitive in the last few days?"  
The PO shook his head. "I have no detailed information about the ... other duties of the Commander. As far as I know, the last few weeks have mainly been about European politics, but nothing ... "  
"How well do you know Josh Cooper?" Steve interrupted.  
"You think he could have done anything to the Commander ...? Sir, this is absurd. We've known each other since we kicked in diapers, we were neighbors. Went to school together, wanted to join the Navy together, only Josh sustained a shoulder injury while playing basketball in high school, which meant the end of that venture. That's why he's an architect today. "  
"Mhm." Lou and Tani came back from their offices. "Nothing," Grover summarized shortly.  
"Jerry, you and Keahi hold the line, check out the residents. I want to know if someone has even an entry for shoplifting. We're going to Kamuki. I want to see the house myself. " He stormed into his office so quickly that Eddie jumped out of his basket, startled. He looked at the dog for a moment, then took the dog collar off the hook. "You're coming with me." Eddie held still and had the equipment put on, then ran right next to him to the door.  
"Commander ...", Junior began.  
"You stay. You were help enough for a day. "  
"Sir." The officer held out the car keys.  
Nothing more was said as they split into the cars and sped down King Street with their lights flashing. With their tires screeching, they turned into the parking lot in front of the house. "You stay downstairs," he ordered the second team, then rang all doorbells through the house until someone answered. Gasping, Danny stormed up the stairs behind him. He pounded on the door from 6.01. "Josh Cooper! Five-0. Open up!"  
It was only a moment before the door opened.  
"Yes?"  
"McGarrett. We're looking for my wife."  
"I'm sorry, but after she got her phone, she left. After that I didn't see her again. Your officer has already convinced himself. "  
"Her phone has been located here. She has to be here," Steve insisted, almost desperate.  
"Take a look around." Cooper raised his arm invitingly and pointed into the apartment. Side by side with Danny, he searched the apartment. He called Sara's cell phone ring himself, but they heard nothing. He picked up his radio. "Tani, bring Eddie up."  
"Copy."

* * *

Thank you for all the nice reviews. Hope you'll will do it again as the story continues.


	47. Chapter 47

When they came into the foyer shortly afterwards, Eddie whimpered excitedly. "He's been acting like this since we got on the elevator."  
Steve took the leash from Tani and leaned over to the retriever. "Find Sara, Eddie."  
The dog just sniffed shortly into the apartment, then turned and pulled him back to the elevator. "Take him with you," he nodded in Coopers direction, then gave in to Eddie's pull and got into the elevator cabin. Danny joined them. On the way down they stopped on every floor and opened the door, but Eddie showed no interest. He whined around in the elevator. On the first floor he only took a few steps, but then withdrew immediately. "Do you know if they were in the parking garage?" Danny asked, pointing to the elevator switch panel. Instead of answering, Steve pounded the button. As soon as the door opened in the garage, Eddie went nuts. He tugged on the leash, whimpered and whined, Steve could barely follow him. Danny picked up his phone and dialed Sara's number. In the next moment they heard it ring softly, in the direction Eddie was pulling them. Shortly afterwards they discovered Sara's phone, it was lying in a corner with a cracked display. Not far away, Eddie lay down, squeaking. When Steve looked more closely, he saw drops of blood on the floor. There were no cars close to them. He heard Danny mutter, "Damn it." Then he spoke at a normal volume. "That doesn't have to mean anything, that's just a little. It doesn't even have to be hers. I'll call forensics."  
At the same time, Steve called Jerry. "Make me a conference call with you and Keahi." The next moment a "Sir?" sounded from the line.  
"We have Sara's phone and a trail of blood. And some tire tracks. Find out whether there are surveillance cameras in the building, check all traffic cameras in the area, tap satellites if you have to. We ... " He had to clear his throat, his voice failing at the thought. "We have to assume a possible kidnapping. Keahi, start the security protocol. "  
The petty officer also didn't sound entirely confident when he replied, "Aye, sir."  
Steve ended the conversation and crouched down next to Eddie to praise the dog for what he found, even if it was difficult. It only took a few minutes for a patrol car to arrive to secure the garage. The uniforms would stay there until the forensics team was done. Steve gritted his teeth heavily as he drove the car back to the Palace.  
"Wait for the forensics results," Danny started again. "It was only a few drops. Eric looks at it, he will tell us more."  
"Mhm."  
Lou and Tani had already taken Josh Cooper inside by the time they reached headquarters. "Let them do that," ordered Danny. "You are not in the mood."  
"Not in the mood?! Danny, are you kidding me? "Steve yelled.  
"That's exactly what I'm saying! There's no evidence Cooper knows anything more than he's told us so far. It doesn't get any better if you use your SEAL methods."  
He just left his partner and hurried on. He was surprised to see Keahi standing next to Jerry at the computer desk. "Why are you here?"  
"Captain Duncan sent me here as a liaison. The security protocol is running, I keep the responsible authorities up to date. It also makes it easier for me to work with Jerry. "  
"What do you all have?"  
"There is nothing suspicious to be found among the residents. A shoplifter, but the boy is twelve. There are obviously cameras at the entrance and at the entrance to the underground car park. We're trying to reach out for the property management to get the recordings. The traffic cameras in the area are not really helpful until we know what we are looking for, "said Jerry. "So far nobody has called and ... made demands."  
"Our phone at home has been switched to my cell phone. No matter where a possible kidnapper tries, he can always contact me. "  
Keahi nodded. "We monitor all connections. Sir, I would like to emphasize again that I absolutely cannot believe that Josh is in any way ... "  
"Noticed. Keep me up to date, "he ordered shortly before walking into his office. He dropped into his chair and turned it with his back to the door, so for a moment he had something like privacy in the glass-enclosed room.  
A huge lump closed his throat. His imagination made extra shifts, there were hundreds of reasons why Sara could have been kidnapped. She had always made sure to work as inconspicuously as possible, but what if somebody, somewhere ... Or maybe it was about him ... He pulled out his cell phone. On the display, he saw the photo of Sara, which he had taken on the beach the previous year in January, she was stretching her face into the sun and enjoying the wind. He unlocked the screen and flipped through the photo album. For a long time he paused at a picture he had taken at the football game on July 4th. Sara, hands on her round belly, sitting on a blanket, leaning against a tree. The wind played with her hair while she slept.  
Steve winced when a hand touched his shoulder. He hadn't heard Danny coming, which was probably indicative of his turmoil.  
"We'll find her. You have the best of the best here, we will find her, " he assured his partner.  
"When? And how? And in what condition? Danny, you know ... "  
"I know all that. This Keahi called the Tripler. Sara's doctor is on standby. And she has to be here on the island somewhere. She can no longer fly and in her condition she will be noticed if she appears anywhere. I spoke to Duke, all the patrols are on alert."  
"Thank you, Danny. Do you already have the pictures from the house? "  
"No. The guy who is responsible for it cannot be found. Lou is currently getting a search warrant, then we can tap into the system directly. Don't ask me how, that's what the freaks out there do. "  
"Okay. What about Cooper? "Steve asked.  
"Clean, pure as Keahi said. We let him go, he promised us every help he could give."  
"How long?"  
"Four hours twelve minutes," Danny said after glancing over his head at the monitors.  
"She doesn't have her bag. That means she doesn't have her pills. She doesn't have a water bottle. It's well over thirty degrees outside. And we have nothing, nothing at all, not the slightest hint of where to look for her ... "

It was hot. Terribly hot. She was sweating and her head was pounding. She was lying on her side. With difficulty she could open her eyes slightly, but all she saw was a stained ceiling and a gray plank wall. She tried to turn around, but her hands were tied above her head. Her legs were cramped. She listened into herself. The baby was moving. She tried to at least turn her head, but a sharp pain shot through her and everything went black again.

* * *

Thank you for all the nice reviews. We're now at about the middle of this story, and while I'm continuing to tranlate it for you, I'm working on part 2.  
So you can expect lots more. Enjoy reading.


	48. Chapter 48

"Boss?" Tani's voice pulled him out of his brooding. She held out a water bottle to him. "Here. You have to drink something. "  
He took the bottle and nearly emptied it at a gulp. Then he pushed himself out of his chair and went outside. The clock on the monitor was showing over six hours. Steve saw Jerry and Keahi typing on the computer desk side by side. Danny and Lou were in their offices, Junior nowhere to be seen.  
"He's taking Eddie for a walk," Tani explained without being asked. Steve hadn't even noticed that the dog had run out of the office.  
"Do you have anything?"  
"Eric called. The blood from the underground car park is Saras. He had a call with Noelani. She thinks it's just a minor injury that doesn't pose a major threat to Sara or the baby."  
"Are you sure about that?" Steve asked urgently. Jerry looked straight into his face as he nodded. "Yes. She did some tests. She suspects a minor cut or laceration. "  
"OK. What else?"  
"We're just about to finally download the recordings from the house. I found someone at the property management company who gave us access to the server, "said Jerry. "Otherwise no attempt to contact you." Steve stopped by them while the download went on. Then they started the first recording. "This is the front door," Keahi explained the obvious. "Here you can see them going in."  
They watched Junior and Sara ring the doorbell and enter the house. Nothing happened until they went out again a while later and Sara disappeared inside the house again immediately afterwards. She didn't come back, instead we saw Junior again. Another man went inside after him, whom they quickly identified as an innocent resident using facial recognition. They played the recording fast forward a bit, but no trace of Sara. Jerry started the recording from the garage entrance. A car pulled into the garage just before they'd come back down. Jerry checked the license plate.  
"Rental car. A woman at the wheel. I'll check her out."  
Keahi enlarged the picture. "What is she doing there?"  
Steve spun around to him. "You now her? Who is this?"  
"Josh's ex. Rebecca Cooper. But what is she doing there? She lives on Big Island. And why does she have a key to the garage? "  
"Get Cooper here!" Ordered Steve. "Jerry, keep playing." According to the time display, only a few minutes had passed when the rental car left the garage. "Send it through facial recognition." A moment later, the driver's license picture of Jessica Cooper appeared on one of the screens. "Junior!" The officer came running. "Did you see the woman or the car anywhere near the house?"  
"No. Neither woman nor car. I didn't meet anyone while we were there. "  
"Jerry, find the car. No matter how. Try to find out if she has a cell phone. "  
"I'm already at it. I'm gonna contact the car rental company, the car may have a GPS tracker."  
Steve stepped closer to the monitors and stared at the photo of Rebecca Cooper. It was a small one, but it was a trace. At the same time, Keahi ran the recordings of the garage entrance again, but until the police car arrived, the rental car was the only vehicle that passed the gate. He didn't turn when he heard Jerry swear, just asked, "What is it?"  
"The car has a tracker, but I still can't find it. I put the HPD and the guys from traffic monitoring on it, they will help us to view the videos. "  
"Okay."  
"She has a mobile phone, but it was last logged in a week ago, on Big Island. According to TSA, she took a flight over here afterwards. She doesn't have a hotel room. "  
Steve cursed.  
A few minutes later, a uniformed officer led Josh Cooper into the Five-0 rooms. "Josh." "Alika", the two friends greeted each other briefly with a handshake. Steve heard Danny thank the officer and send him away. He turned when Cooper let out a surprised "Rebecca ?!"  
"Did you know that your wife is on the island?"  
"No! Where from? I haven't seen or spoken to her in months. What does she have to do with this?"  
"She was at your house today. She drove the only car that left the house during the period in question. "  
"I had no idea," said Cooper.  
"What motive would she have to kidnap a pregnant woman? Where could she be? "The man backed away as he stepped closer to him.  
"Commander, if I had any idea I'd tell you!"  
Danny stepped between him and Josh. "Let's take a deep breath, okay? We need clear heads here. Josh, from what I heard, you and your wife are divorced. You don't have children. Right?"  
"Yes."  
"Why?"  
"I don't understand the question."  
"Josh, he wants to know if you got a divorce because you couldn't have children," Keahi said emphatically. Cooper looked from one to the other. "There were many reasons. I filed for divorce because I saw no future for our marriage. It was a shame that Rebecca didn't get pregnant, but that wasn't the main reason. "  
"Did you find out who was the reason it didn't work?" asked Steve, in whose head a bad idea got bigger and bigger.  
"Not me," Josh replied shortly.  
Steve looked at the photo on the monitor, then at Danny. Their eyes met. He nodded curtly, obviously his partner had the same thought.  
"This is not about Sara. Or her job, "he finally said. "Has Rebecca ever had mental health problems?"  
"Not that I know. But I've only seen her once in the past two years, in court, when our divorce was announced. After that we spoke on the phone two, maybe three times. I can't tell you. "  
Meanwhile Lou and Tani had joined them again and followed the conversation. Grover intervened: "I'll dig into that." He disappeared into his office. It was fifteen minutes for Steve to cross-examine Josh Cooper again, inconclusive, then Lou came back.  
"What do you have?" Steve asked when he saw the look on his face.


	49. Chapter 49

"I hate to say it, but we seem to be on the right track." He typed, then new data appeared on the monitors. "Rebecca was released from a mental hospital on Big Island five weeks ago for further outpatient treatment. She only appeared there twice. She was admitted seven months ago after repeatedly stalking women with babies in prams and a failed attempt on abducting one of the children. I had to threaten the attending doctor ... a little, then the man came out with the fact that she probably had a severe psychosis. The sight of Sara, however they met, could have triggered an episode."  
Steve felt sick. He tried to push it back. "Does the doctor think she is dangerous?"  
"He didn't want to commit. But she didn't assault any of the women she chased."  
Danny cleared his throat so that everyone else's attention was drawn to him, for which Steve was grateful. "Does your ex-wife have relatives or friends on the island? Any possibility where she can stay? "  
"She's from Big Island. Only I have relatives on this island. But none of them would offer Rebecca even a glass of water. She had a couple of work colleagues, but I don't think there are any contacts left."  
"But where might she be with Sara then?"  
"I'll call TSA," Lou explained. "If Rebecca shows up at the airport, alone ... or with a baby, they have to hold her. They can't let her leave the island."  
"I'm also contacting port authority so they can keep their eyes open," Keahi said. "Josh, think about it. Can you think of anything else where she could be staying? "  
Cooper's only answer was a resigned shrug. They were interrupted by Danny's cell phone ringing. "That's Duke. - We're all listening, "explained and put the device on the table.  
"The car was spotted at a small supermarket in Makaha around one o'clock. The suspect bought lots of water, some groceries and bandages. She was alone and the market has no camera. Yesterday she has been seen by a patrol, but there were no cameras either. She was totally calm, just looked a bit sweaty, which is nothing unusual in the weather. We are now searching the area for the car and witnesses."  
"Thank you, Duke."  
"Makaha, Josh. Does that mean anything to you? Any idea what she wanted there? Where can she be? "Steve urged again, but it was obvious that the man had no answer.  
"It's already nearly dark outside. Sending a helicopter to take a closer look at the area from above is pointless, "Keahi explained. "I'll report to Norfolk that there is probably no security risk. Commander, all resources of the Navy are still available to find your wife. "  
"Thank you. Take my office. I have to get out of here." He whistled for Eddie. The retriever, tirelessly, even though he had just come back from a walk, sat by his side. He felt the pitying looks of the others on his back as he pushed open the door to the stairwell. When he left the building, the sultriness literally hit him in the face. He walked around the block with Eddie and tried in vain to suppress the thought of how Sara must be in the prevailing weather. Steve had considered requesting a night-flight-ready helicopter with a thermal imaging camera when it got dark, but with the current conditions it was a hopeless try.

In the meantime Sara had almost lost track of time. The room was dark. The ground was hard, it felt like she was lying on a blanket or sleeping mat on the floor. Someone had given her a drink from a water bottle, but she had seen nothing but the hand she was holding. Lifting her head caused severe nausea, the person with the bottle was holding it while she was taking a few sips. The water tasted strange, but she needed the liquid. Her kidnapper didn't answer her questions. All she could hope for was Steve and his team.

With Eddie panting hard at his side, Steve ran down the driveway to the Palace and past the security guard back to the headquarters. When he arrived at the Five-0 premises, he ordered Tani to take Josh Cooper home, not without asking him to call immediately if he remembered anything helpful. Then he provided Eddie with a bowl of fresh water, which Eddie almost emptied in one go, and a few treats. Jerry and Alika Keahi continued to view traffic cameras across the island, but were unsuccessful.  
Danny was waiting for him in his office. "Is there anything I can do for you?" His partner asked worriedly. "Unfortunately I can't do miracles, but ... It's a shitty feeling being such helpless because we have no trace ..."  
"Does Grace know?" Steve asked out of a sudden idea.  
"Yes. The kids are with Rachel at the moment. Grace called me earlier about something else. She's worried, but I told her it won't do any good if she comes here. "  
"That's good."  
"Grover called all the hospitals again. Not a trace. Renée is coming soon with a fresh supply of drinks and something to eat. You have to eat, "Danny said urgently," to stay ready for action."  
Steve wanted to argue, but Lou knocked in the door. "Sorry, there is a young man here who wants to talk to you."  
"Who?" He snapped, then recognized the visitor Lou let in as Ben Pekua. He looked embarrassed. "Sorry, Steve, for bothering you. It's looking like crisis mode around here. Sara doesn't answer her phone, I thought she was working and I'll try here. I'm here for the car."  
"What about it?" Steve snapped before remembering that the Prius was broken. He noticed Danny making calming gestures behind him, but ignored him. Pekua cleared his throat. "The hybrid control is dead. I called Toyota on the mainland, the car is still under warranty. It needs a few spare parts, which will take a few days to get everything here, then we'll fix it as soon as possible. Until then I brought a car for Sara. With the control model she had before she got the ring, that one we couldn't manage on such short notice. "  
"Thank you," Steve said through clenched teeth. "You can take the car with you for now. Sara ... doesn't need it right now, "he managed to say, then his voice broke. He waved his hand in the direction of Danny, who understood him and brought Ben out of the room. The door stayed open so he could hear his partner explain the situation in a few words. Ben immediately offered help too, whereupon Danny provided him with a description of Rebecca Cooper and the rental car and implored him to call in if he saw either. The voices went away. Steve walked around the table and dropped into his chair.  
He hardly knew what was the matter with him when he put his face in his hands in a fit of despair. Otherwise he could think of some solution in almost every situation, he could stay calm and act, but just now he felt incredibly helpless and he hated the feeling he hadn't felt in this intensity for so long.  
Logic told him there was no point looking for the car before dawn, but everything in him urged him to run out of the building, jump into his pickup and search street after street until he found a lead – or Sara.  
Jerry and Alika tried their best, but the patrol car sighting eight hours earlier stayed the only one. Tani had attempted to trace Rebecca's path from her arrival on Oahu to the time of the kidnapping, but had only gotten to downtown, where the rental car had disappeared from the cameras. Lou kept in touch with the various hospitals around town and island in case Sara got there in some way. He had given him all information he had got about Rebecca and was now reading it for what felt like the hundredth time, as if the answer was hidden there. At half past eleven he could no longer stand it in his office, he changed clothes and went running through the night streets of Honolulu. For an hour he ran block by block, to the beach, past party people on hotel terraces, until he got back to the palace. It was quiet in headquarters, only Jerry was standing at the computer desk.  
"The others are trying to get some sleep. I promised Alika I would wake him up later. We haven't found anything, and there's nothing we can do before sunrise. You should also lie down a bit so that you can continue with fresh strength tomorrow. There's a sandwich on your table, you didn't eat anything earlier."  
"Yes, mom."  
"Steve, believe me, we all want nothing but find Sara. But if we find her, she needs you above anything else. On full power. So get in there and eat the damn sandwich."  
Jerry held his gaze for a while, then turned away. Finally Steve went over to him and patted him on the shoulder. "Thanks buddy. I am really grateful to you all."  
"Then stop blaming yourself right away."  
"How...?"  
Jerry raised his eyebrows. "Sometimes I might be a klutz, but I'm not blind. And not stupid either. As far as I know, she would have gone alone if the car hadn't been on strike. And this could have even happened with you being there. You know her bullethead. You can't blame either Junior or yourself for that. Neither her, by the way. Sara is an adult, I can understand that she doesn't want to be pampered around the clock, even if she needs more help now and then. And now go, eat and then at least try to calm down a little."  
Steve glanced at the clock on the wall screen, which was now almost thirteen hours, nodded and went to his office. Whoever had told Renée, but she had made him a tuna sandwich, just the way he liked it. Still, he had to force himself to eat it. The sofa in his office was too narrow and, above all, too short to sleep, so he simply lay down on the floor and put his head on his bent arm. His thoughts revolved around Sara, but finally he nodded off.

* * *

Thanks a lot for all the nice Reviews. Hope you continue enjoying the story.


	50. Chapter 50

He was awakened by a familiar voice, even if he couldn't believe hearing it. Groaning, he crawled up from the floor and stretched. It was almost day outside, a glance at the clock told him it was shortly before six. In the next moment there was a knock on the door.  
"May I come in?"  
Steve cleared his throat because he didn't trust his voice. "Chin? Where are you coming from? What are you doing here?"  
"Yes, Chin. From the airport. Danny called me."  
"But..."  
"Steve, you were always there for me and your father before you. When my father died, when Malia was killed, in Colombia. It's the least I can do, being here now, "Chin explained and put his hand on his shoulder. "After Danny's call, I jumped on the next available plane, Abby is taking care of our little one. Danny already said that you haven't got a new lead yet. As soon as the day is fully up, a helicopter will in the air, said the Navy man out there."  
"Keahi. He's Sara's assistant and our liaison. Even with a helicopter, it's like looking for a needle in a haystack when we don't know where to start. The only clue is the sighting in Makaha. But she might have gone anywhere from there."  
There was another knock, then Danny entered, two cups in his hands. "Here for you. - No, this one's for Steve, "he stopped Chin, who wanted to take one of the cups from him. The next moment he found out why. A piece of butter floated on the surface of the hot drink, wherever Danny had got it.  
"Thank you."  
"I don't have to like it, but if it helps you. Keahi says the helicopter's just started.  
He rushed the coffee down in one gulp. "Can you bring Chin up to date? Then I'll take a quick shower. I'm no longer used to sleeping on the floor or I'm getting old. I feel every single bone. "  
"Go for it."  
The clock showed eighteen hours as he crossed the hall. It smelled of coffee and breakfast as if they were in the hotel. The smell made him sick, and he quickened his pace. When he came back his entire team was assembled. There was a heavy silence, obviously there was nothing new. Jerry set him a plate firmly. He didn't feel like eating, but he didn't want another sermon either, especially not in front of the whole team. After everyone was fed, he sent Lou and Tani to Makaha to interview residents there and speak to the shopkeeper again. He went for a round with Eddie himself. The retriever was affectionate like never before, it was hard to overlook that he missed Sara. Steve had no idea how good a dog's memory was, but maybe it reminded him how his first owner had suddenly stopped coming home.  
Danny catched him on his return. "Lou called. Rebecca was already in the shop on Saturday, served by the shop owner's wife. She opened the store today, that's why they met her in the first place. She bought water and food. In addition, mosquito repellants and sunscreen. But she didn't say much, nothing that would help us. They couldn't find out more, they are on their way back. "  
"Okay. Thanks, Danny. Eddie is thirsty. I'm in my office. " He took care of the dog, then booted up his notebook and checked the weather forecast, which gave little cause for confidence. The heat and the humidity should continue to hold up high.  
He had no idea how to distract himself, his mind was constantly revolving around Sara and he was still doomed to wait. It was one of the things he hadn't done very well in his active Navy days, but it was especially difficult for him right now. A hesitant "Commander?" tore him from his thoughts. He raised his head. Junior had opened the door a bit and stuck his head in.

"Something new?"  
"No. May I come inside?"  
"Hm." He waved him in. Junior walked into the office and stood at his desk as if they were both in uniform and on duty. "Boss, I'm so sorry about what's going on right now. I shouldn't have listened to Sara, but went back into the house with her. The idea I get the car, so she doesn't have to walk through the heat, while she fetches her cell phone in the cool house seemed logical to me at the time. "  
"Are you done?" Steve asked when didn't say more.  
"Hm."  
"Junior, none of us is psychic. Nobody could have suspected this lunatic was in the house. I would probably have acted similarly if I had been you. Apart from following an order even if you didn't have to. You are no longer on active duty in the Navy and my order should have had priority. Yes, the matter was partly private, Sara is my wife, but the assignment was for a person to be protected. At the moment she is quite defenseless not only because of her walking difficulties, but also because of her pregnancy. From the Navy's perspective, we are ... "He almost choked on the word, then reluctantly spat it out. "Lucky the kidnapping seems to be about the baby ..."  
"You say what Keahi said yesterday about her security level ..." Junior asked, amazed.  
"Yeah, that wasn't a joke. I can't tell you more about that, just the keyword 'National Security'. "  
The officer in front of his desk widened his eyes. "I didn't know that..."  
"That's the point," said Steve dryly. "She's always flying far below the radar, hardly anyone outside of certain circles knows what she's doing, and that's a good thing. Yes? "He called, because there was another knock. A man in Navy camo entered the office. Steve's pulse shot up, he got up. He had to look twice before he recognized the man. "Chief Masterson? What are you doing here?", he looked surprised at the man who, in uniform, with the military short haircut and clean-shaven, looked completely different than when they last met.  
"Commander McGarrett, I ..."  
"Chief Masterson?" Junior echoed. The newcomer raised his eyebrows at him and nodded in greeting.  
"You know him?"  
"Um ... Yes sir," Officer Reigns replied hesitantly.  
Steve nodded. "Okay, I can imagine. I don't want to know more. Dismissed."  
The young man hinted a salute, then hurried out of the office.


	51. Chapter 51

"Commander, excuse me for falling in here. I wanted to offer my help."  
"How do you know...?"  
"The Navy is worse than a Salvation Army coffee klatch in some ways. I was on my way to Pearl anyway. When I was changing over at Travis, I got the security alarm. When I landed in Hickam, they said the warning was downgraded. But the Navy Base is still on high alert. On the way to my appointment there, I picked up a little something and realized that this is all about your wife. As soon as the meeting was over, I signed out and drove here. I already knew where to find you. Can I do anything, help in any way? I owe you and Sara a lot."  
Steve crossed his arms and leaned against his desk. "First of all, you don't owe us anything. Second, I am very grateful for the offer. The problem is that there are already eight people sitting around here who cannot do anything because we have no idea where to look. We know who kidnapped Sara and why, but there is no trace of her current whereabouts. Third, what are you doing on Oahu? "  
"We obviously disagree on the question of who owes what to whom here. No matter. I took Sara's advice to heart and spoke to Fellowes and a few other people. I'm staying with the SEALs, but as an instructor. At the moment the only question is whether I will be stationed in San Diego or here on the island. My wife wants to get away from Norfolk. I'm sorry, the waiting must be driving you crazy. I saw a soldier outside ... "  
"Sara's assistant, PO2 Keahi. He keeps in touch with the Navy and supports us with his technical expertise. And yes, it's getting harder and harder every hour not to freak out. Wait a minute."  
Outside his office there was something going on. When he was looking for the reason, he discovered Josh Cooper through the window. He left the chief and stormed outside. "Josh! Do you have something for us? "  
"Perhaps. I couldn't sleep until early morning. At some point I was overcome by tiredness. When I woke up half an hour ago, it really jumped at me. Rebecca worked for a company that offered tours of the North Shore nature reserves. At the Pupukea and in the Mokuleia Forest. There are huts in various places up there. Maybe they're there. I already googled the company, but it no longer exists. I've been trying to remember the names of former colleagues who might be able to help."  
"We have a few more options. Thanks, Josh."  
The man rubbed his totally disheveled hair. "I know it's still a huge area, but only half of the island ..."  
"That is also a step forward. Jerry, Keahi."  
"Already on it", the two men at the computer desk replied simultaneously . "I'll give that straight to the guys in the helicopter," Keahi added.  
Danny raised his hand. "I just heard about North Shore, didn't I? Steve, call Kawika. He knows the area up there like no other, he and his boys can help us."  
"Absolutely . And before half an army is stomping through there ... Chief, introduce yourself, I have to make a phone call."  
He ran back to his office, yanked his cell phone from the table where he'd left it to recharge, and dialed. On the way back, while waiting for Kawika to answer, he heard the chief explain, "I'm Brian Masterson. I don't have civilian clothes with me, ignore my appearance and rank. As long as this lasts, I'll submit to your chain of command. This also applies to Reigns and ... Keahi."  
Chin briefly introduced the others present, then himself: "Chin Ho Kelly. Chin is fine. In the office over there, there is my blue travel bag. Help yourself, clothes should roughly fit."  
Masterson shook hands with him, then walked off.  
Finally Kawika answered with a simple "Yes?"  
"Kawika, this is Steve. I need your help. Can we meet at the parking lot at Haleiwa Bay in half an hour? "  
"Sure," was the simple answer he received from Kawika instead of lengthy questions. He put the phone away and looked around.  
"Chin, I need your buddy with the helicopter. You and the chief ..."He looked around, then he spotted Masterson, who just came out of Lou's office in jeans and shirt and corrected him briefly: "Just Brian ".  
"You and Brian are flying with me. Danny, you provide radios and satellite phones, cell phone reception is zero up there in the woods. Plus plenty of water for everyone. Then you follow us by car. Junior, you take my car. Jerry and Keahi stay here and hold the everything together. Folks, we all know the Kapu are peculiar, but Kawika and his people are a real chance for Sara and he's a good guy. He will help us. If anyone has a problem with this, get out with it now. - Nobody? Well. Treat them with respect and they will respect you too. Any questions?"  
All he heard was Chin finishing up a phone call. "We'll take my rental car, the helicopter is already warming up."  
Everybody around him got busy, but he ignored it, he waved to Chin and Brian and they left the headquarters. It wasn't far to the helipad, twenty-five minutes later they touched down in Haleiwa. Steve had taken the wheel, but they had brought the pilot with them who would fly the machine back, so they didn't have to leave anyone to watch it. In the parking lot, Kawika was leaning against a jeep with his arms crossed and watching them. Steve rushed towards him. Despite the urgency, he gave Kawika the usual respectful greeting. Chin also greeted the head of the Kapu with a handshake. Masterson stayed in the background until Steve waved him closer. "Kawika, this is Brian Masterson, Brian, Kawika." He saw that Brian took note of the order in which he introduced them. The two men nodded to each other.  
"So Steve, what's wrong? You sounded urgent and look extremely worried."  
"Sara has been kidnapped." Kawika gave him an incredulous look. "The kidnapper is female and probably wants the baby. She hasn't booked a hotel room anywhere, and her ex-husband made us realize that she knows her way around the North Shore woods. It's possible she is holding Sara up there somewhere. I wanted to ask you for help."  
His friend looked him up and down, then asked: "How do you want to proceed?"  
"We suspect they are either in the Pupukea or in the Mokuleia. I know these are huge areas, but this is more of a trace than we had two hours ago. The rest of the team is coming by car, they should be here shortly. I thought you could bring over a couple of your guys and then we go in teams of two, always one of you, one of us. You probably know every dugout and every cabin up there, "Steve pointed towards the mountain range.  
"Sounds good. You brought a map? "  
Chin took out a folded map and his tablet. Kawika spoke briefly on the phone in Hawaiian, then stepped over to the men who had spread the map on his hood. "Ten men are on their way. One will watch over the helicopter. I assume that you want to come with me."  
"Yes. But we don't need a guard, the helicopter will be brought back. "  
"Okay. I can't bring in more men at the moment, we're in a bit of trouble up in Kawela. "  
"What trouble?" Masterson asked.  
"Vandalism. Nothing we can't deal with on our own, "said the head of the Kapu. The chief looked from Kawika to him, he nodded to confirm the Kapus words. "Pen?" asked Kawika. He took Chin's marker and after a short study he began to mark the map. "There are dugouts up there in various places to keep hikers from camping in the wild. The lesser evil. Here," he drew a small circle," I'll go myself. It's a small settlement of dropouts who don't like strangers. We tolerate them because they show consideration for nature and behave respectfully. All others should stay away from this place."  
Chin transferred the information directly to the tablet, which was synchronized with the computer at headquarters, so everything he drew was also visible there. While Kawika described the locations and routes, a small column of cars drove into the nearly empty parking lot. In the first car, Steve recognized Lou Grover, the last car was his own with Junior at the wheel. In between, two off-road vehicles he didn't know, driven by Tani and Danny. His phone rang.  
"Yes?"  
"Sir, Keahi here. The team should arrive shortly."  
"They're already here. What ... "  
"I was right about to tell you. The detective was afraid for his car and we had too few vehicles, so I borrowed something from the Navy with the permission of Captain Duncan. There are also water rations and communications technology in both cars. Jerry and I are following your map work here. The helicopter has returned to the base, the search from above was unsuccessful. The rental car's tracker is definitely dead. The Commander's cell phone reported a call from a Liam Anderson."  
"That's her brother-in-law. I'll call him back later. "  
"Copy. I told the governor right the same."  
"Okay. We'll continue here." Right when he had finished the conversation more vehicles arrived and Kawika's men got out of them. Their boss did the introduction, then he divided the teams and gave the routes. Kawika took Brian Masterson with him, while Steve teamed up with a slender, taciturn man named Pika. They were assigned a trail at the eastern end of the Pupukea and set off. They stayed in constant contact with Jerry and Keahi at headquarters throughout the day. While searching, one of the teams found an illegal dope plantation they reported to the DEA, and another found a garbage dump in the middle of the forest. They came across wild campers and hikers, the first of whom they reported, the latter they asked about unusual observations. But despite all efforts and all searches, they found no trace of Sara. At half past five everyone was dead tired and exhausted and, with a heavy heart, Steve gave the order to get the teams back to Haleiwa Bay, also considering the approaching darkness. It was getting dark when the last ones arrived in the parking lot.  
Steve thanked Kawika warmly, who promised to continue the search at dawn and not to give up until his wife was found. It took an effort for Steve to keep his cool, but he didn't want to show any weakness in front of all the men, especially the Kapu. After they had said goodbye, he got into the Navy jeep with Danny. The other team members held back and divided themselves into the other cars, then formed a convoy to drive back to Honolulu.


	52. Chapter 52

Back at headquarters, the clock showed a good thirty hours. They were hardly through the door when Jerry reported a caller. "Dr. Takamoto wants to speak to you, Steve."  
For a moment the irrational hope that Sara would be in the hospital grew in him, but a look at the doctor's face on the monitor made him painfully come back to reality. "Dr. Takamoto."  
"Hello, Commander. I wanted to find out if there was anything new."  
Steve shook his head and cleared his throat. "We have a lead that she might be in the North Shore woods and have been looking all day. Unsuccessful. We'll go up again tomorrow at dawn."  
"In the woods, you say?"  
"Mhm. Why?"  
"That means, depending on where she is, it could be a little cooler there, but also more humid, so she would still sweat more."  
"I know that too," he snapped at the doctor. "And?"  
"The place may not be directly accessible by helicopter. Is anybody on your team able to insert an IV?"  
"Me. But ..." He crossed his arms with a jerk and tucked his hands under his armpits, because he could feel them shaking. He noticed how first Tani, then Brian Masterson, stepped next to him.  
"Me. Lifeguard with advanced training," explained his colleague.  
"Navy," said Brian succinctly.  
The doctor nodded. "Well. I will put together an initial care package specifically for your wife's needs and likely circumstances. A messenger will bring it to you. Let me know when you start tomorrow morning and I'll put people on standby here."  
"Thank you, doctor."  
"And if you will allow me to say, Commander, make sure that your team, which includes you specifically, consume sufficient food and water. I don't want to see any of you here as a patient."  
"Understood, Doctor Takamoto, thank you."  
The doctor on the monitor leaned forward, pressed a button, then the connection was gone.  
Jerry volunteered: "He's right there. Renée will be here shortly, along with Rachel and Grace. They bring us something to eat. And Steve, you should call this Liam back."  
"Will do. Thank you. All of you," he threw around, then withdrew into his office. He got the call to Liam over with first, the time difference had the advantage that Zoe was already asleep and therefore didn't notice anything. He tried to calm down Sara's horrified brother-in-law and made a solemn promise to inform him immediately when Sara was found. When he hung up, Grace stormed in, a plate of sandwiches in her hand. Without a word she dumped them on the table, then stepped next to Steve and hugged him.  
"I can do that, I'm a girl and it's not embarrassing," she explained as he carefully tried to wriggle out of her embrace. "And sometimes a man needs it when he's worried and afraid. You can't tell me that you don't do both. As are all of us here." He realized there was no point in arguing, so he submitted. The hug was good for him, even if he would never have admitted it. "Mum didn't want to bother you, but asked me to tell you whatever you need, if she can help in any way, you should tell."  
"Thank you, Grace. Only one thing could really help me at the moment - and even your mum can't do that. Thanks for the sandwiches."  
"Eat them. You..."  
He turned her around and put his finger to her mouth. "I've already had the lecture. So leave it."  
"Okay." She looked at him expectantly until he took the first sandwich from the plate and bit into it. "I brought you something else," she announced and disappeared outside. Shortly afterwards she returned with an inflated air mattress and a pillow. "You will definitely sleep here again, so I thought this would be more comfortable than the floor. Don't worry, the others will get something too."  
"Thank you."  
She gave him another quick squeeze, then ran outside to see Rachel waiting. Danny's ex-wife briefly raised her hand in greeting, which he returned, then left the headquarters with her daughter.  
"It's hard to believe that we are now able to deal with each other in a civilized manner again."  
Steve winced when Danny walked into his office. "I'm happy for you," he replied when he got over the shock. "That she is so involved here ..."  
"She and Sara hardly know each other, but immediately got on well. And she knows that she and Grace like each other very much."  
"Mhm. Is there any news? Otherwise I would lie down so that I can start again at sunrise."  
"Still nothing that helps us. Finish your sandwiches before you go to sleep."  
"What do you all have with my food intake ?! Stop lecturing me! Steve scolded.  
"I don't know who has already given you lectures, but your face is getting thinner from hour to hour. It doesn't help anyone, especially Sara, if you starve yourself to collapse," Danny replied, the door handle already in his hand. "So eat."  
He ate one of the sandwiches from the plate, and fed the other to Eddie, who had crowded into the office when Danny had left. The retriever had been at the headquarters with Jerry and Keahi during the day, now he demanded his attention and pats, which he also received. After they had run another lap together, Steve stretched out on the air mattress, Eddie spurned his basket and lay down on the floor next to him, his head close to his arm.  
The exhaustion after the long hike in the heat soon let him sleep, but the night was still not really restful. Shortly after six he drove to a nearby bakery and got breakfast for the entire team. They sat around the computer desk and drank coffee while Keahi, who had also camped at the Five-0 headquarters, showed them which parts of the search area they had already covered. He had tried to call Kawika at sunrise, but only ended up on the mailbox. It was just after seven and the clock was reading forty-three hours when his cell phone rang. The number of a satellite phone was displayed.  
"McGarrett."  
"This is Kawika. Can you try to ping my position The signal is pretty bad."  
Steve put it on the speaker, then waved Jerry closer. "We try it. Do you have something, Kawika?"  
"Yes. There is a hut about three hundred meters north of where I am, uphill in the woods. I'm standing next to the car on the street."  
Something blinked on the monitor on the wall. "Jerry has the signal. Have you seen Sara?"  
Kawika replied: "Yes. Call it an inspiration I drove up here this morning. I had totally forgotten the hut. Sara and the other woman are alone, I couldn't see anyone else. The way up here is passable with off-road vehicles from our village."  
"I can have a helicopter ready to take off in ten minutes."  
"I know that, but that would be too risky. The hut is on top of the ridge, the woman could get nervous if you suddenly circled over it. Follow Pupukea Road, it joins the path up here. I'll wait at the car. "  
"Okay. And thank you, Kawika."


	53. Chapter 53

When he turned away from the monitor, the coffee round was scattered in all directions. Protective vests were put on in all rooms, Chin had Danny unlock one of the gun lockers and took out one of the sniper rifles. "You never know," he explained when Steve's partner looked at him in amazement. "Brian, do you need anything else?"  
"Thank you, I've got it all." The Navy man was holding one of the sand-colored vests with dozens of pockets the SEALs carried in action, from wherever he took it, and was about to slip it on. A gun holster hung from his thigh. Tani checked that she had got the emergency bag the runner from Dr. Takamoto had brought it safely in her backpack.  
"We'll take mine and the two Navy jeeps. Danny, Chin and Brian ride with me. Kawika will explain the local conditions to us, then we plan the access. Keahi, you're alerting Tripler to get the helicopter ready, and Takamoto. In the satellite image you don't see much besides trees. We'll proceed with extreme caution, but as soon as possible, it is getting hotter by the hour. Jerry, Eddie stays with you, there are too many strange animals out there." He glanced around and saw many determined faces. "Thank you guys," he said fervently, then ordered: "Let's go."  
In minutes they were in the car, flashing lights and sirens, heading for the North Shore. As soon as they left the Honolulu metropolitan area, the traffic eased and the other drivers willingly gave way. While driving, Steve concentrated fully on the traffic and allowed himself no other thoughts. When they turned into Pupukea Road, he switched off lights and sirens and reduced the speed slightly. Only when they reached the forest path, because the narrow way into the mountains was nothing more, he did slow down. It took another five minutes, then they spotted a quad by the side of the path between the trees. Kawika went to Steve's window. "Drive a few more meters. There is a fork behind the curve, there is more space for your car."  
He followed the instruction and jogged back shortly afterwards. "Come on, talk! Where is she?", he snapped at the Kapu before he even came to a standstill.  
"Give us the minute until your team is here, then I only have to tell you everything once."  
Steve forced himself to calm down, being overzealous was dangerous, he knew that.  
When everyone was around Kawika, he took a stick and began to draw a sketch in the soft forest floor. "The car is over there between the trees. The hut is about three hundred meters uphill in that direction. The forest is thinner up there, and you have a bit of a clear view. However, this also applies to the woman. The hut has plastic panels and ventilation slots on all sides. A large room, a small room, a bathroom. I caught a quick glimpse, Sara is in the larger room, like here." He pointed with the stick in a corner. "She is lying on the floor, has not moved. I couldn't risk trying to get her attention, either. I couldn't see the woman, so I can't say whether she's armed. The hut has two entrances, here and here."  
Steve looked at the sketch for a moment, then took the stick from Kawika. "Lou and Junior secure the back. Chin sneaks up from the side, as close that he can see the large room but doesn't take any chances. The four of us go in at the front. Tani, Brian, you stay behind us until the situation is secured."  
The chief nodded. "We'll take care of Sara as soon as the situation is safe. Jerry is on standby, he can connect the doctor to us by radio immediately. - I don't think I have to explain their job to anyone here, our top priority is to get Sara to the hospital as soon as possible. If possible, keep Mrs. Cooper alive. Anyone else to say something?"  
The only comment came from Jerry in their earplugs: "Don't stand around and talk, a thunderstorm is brewing now, that will soon cause problems with the helicopter, so let's go."  
That was their starting shot. Kawika began to climb the hill with Chin through the still thick undergrowth, the others ran on the narrow path before Lou and Junior broke away from the group. For a while you could only hear her labored breathing and the rustling of the forest floor. Eventually the vegetation became thinner, even if the treetops continued to offer protection from the sun. But they also kept the humidity high, it was almost unbearable. Then the hut came into view.  
He could tell at a glance that Kawika's description was accurate. They moved almost silently towards the front entrance, hoping to be discovered as late as possible. With his fingers he gave the signal, at three he pushed the door open and they made their way into the main room of the hut. What he saw made him catch his breath.

Sara knew she wouldn't last much longer. She kept having blackouts, her sense of time was no longer there. She hadn't eaten anything since she was in this place, just got this strange tasting water, which was not good for her, which made her sick. She tried to speak to the person holding the water bottle but never got an answer. A couple of times her kidnapper, who she believed was a woman, had touched her belly as if to check if the child was moving. Her whole body ached and cramped. Recently she had had the feeling that someone else would have been nearby, but she could not see anything, she could barely open her eyes.  
She listened intently, something rustled somewhere in the silence, a sound she had never heard before in this place. Suddenly steps came closer, someone crouched down next to her, then her head was jerked back suddenly by the hair, so that the pain took her consciousness.

His team had stepped to his sides. Sara was lying on the floor on a kind of tarpaulin and a dirty blanket, her hands tied to a chest of drawers with a long rope. She wasn't wearing anything but a dirty t-shirt. Rebecca Cooper was kneeling behind her back, one hand held Sara's head by the hair pulled far back, with the other she pressed a knife to Sara's neck.  
"You're not going to have my baby!"  
Danny half pushed himself in front of him, which was probably better, he was about to use the gun in his hand, but that would have put Sara in even more danger. He glanced around the room, there was no sign of another person in the hut. It smelled badly. Steve looked back at Sara. Her cramped posture almost hurt him physically. Her eyes were closed, she didn't move. She was probably passed out. His partner cleared his throat. "Rebecca, put the knife away. If you hurt her, you will harm the baby. "  
"My baby!" Her voice was as crazy as her look.  
"Take the knife away! You are endangering the child!", Danny repeated.  
Steve heard a whisper in his earphones. "Danny, more right."  
In almost slow motion, Danny shifted his position in this direction while he continued to talk to the woman. Somehow, his partner managed to get the woman to drop the hand with the knife a little, removing it from Sara's neck. In the next moment everything happened at the same time.  
A shot was fired, the woman fell backwards, one shoulder bloody, the knife flew in a high arc into a corner, her hand let go of Sara's head, which then fell backwards. Without having to consult, they split up. Danny pulled Rebecca Cooper, who was screaming hysterically, away from Sara. Steve made the few steps to his wife and fell on his knees next to her. Tani was already pulling on her backpack as she ran. "Steve!" That came from Brian, who tossed him something before looking away. He recognized a tiny folded blanket like the one he had always had in his vest. He quickly unfolded the foil and spread it over Sara. Brian had pulled out his knife and cut the coarse rope from her arms, showing clear welts underneath. He heard him swear softly.  
There was a brief clap from the corner Danny had taken Rebecca to, then the screaming stopped. "Sorry, but nobody can take it," his partner commented shortly on the slap he had given her. He didn't even look at him. With trembling hands he turned Sara into a stable side position and put his hand on her cheek. "Sara? Sara, do you hear me? Please, honey ... " She didn't respond.  
"Brian? I can't do it!" Tani sounded a little panicked. The chief knelt beside her, he managed to insert the IV into Sara's vein. He connected the infusion and gave Tani the bag. Then he reached for his headset. "Jerry, location secure, we have Sara. We need the helicopter right now and connect Takamoto to me."  
"Copy. The helicopter is already in the air, the doc is coming now."  
There was a crack in his ear, then he could hear the doctor's voice. "Do you have her?"  
Brian reported quickly, "Doc, this is Chief Masterson. Sara is passed out and shows massive signs of dehydration. Infusion is on marker one, like you said. She has dried blood in her hair, I can't tell exactly where from at the moment. Wrists and legs are badly grazed. She was already lying on her side, we just turned her a little to stabilize her."  
"Understood, Chief. Do not turn any higher than this mark. Move her as little as possible until the paramedics are there with the stretcher. Is she bleeding or losing her water?"  
Steve let go of Sara's head for a moment and lifted the rescue blanket under the worried looks of the others. "Nothing to see. How much longer will that take?" He urged.  
The doctor's answer was drowned out in the swelling noise of a helicopter.  
Shortly thereafter, two paramedics stormed into the hut with a stretcher and backpacks. They started to treat Sara, he slid sideways just enough that he was out of the way. The men gave her oxygen, put a stiffneck on her, then pulled the stretcher closer. At that moment one of the paramedics shouted: "She cramps!"  
He heard the doctor giving instructions on the radio that he barely understood; his attention was directed to his wife, whose head he still held carefully. The man injected something into the IV, whereupon the convulsive movements slowly subsided. Steve watched both men pause for a moment, one checking Sara's pulse. They nodded to each other, then placed her on the stretcher. Everyone lent a hand to bring her outside. The helicopter hovered over them, ropes were lowered. Steve, Brian and Junior helped to latch the men and the basket stretcher, in a few moments all three were on board and the helicopter turned away.  
Steve struggled to keep himself on his feet, everything was spinning in his head. They had found Sara, she was on her way to the hospital, but he knew enough about medicine to know that nothing was certain yet.


	54. Chapter 54

A hand fell on his shoulder, someone said something, but he couldn't understand a word. He was shaken, turned his head, and looked into Brian Masterson's face. "What?"  
"I said give me your car keys."  
"Why?"  
"A Navy helicopter will be here in four minutes, picking up Danny and you and taking you to the Tripler. The rest of your team and I are cleaning up here, waiting for forensics, and taking Cooper to the psychiatric hospital. I will then follow you with your car."  
His brain only seemed to work in slow motion, Brian's statement only reached him letter by letter, but then he understood. "Thank you."  
"No problem."  
Danny made no comment when they were pulled into the second helicopter together a few minutes later. The door slammed shut and the pilot headed directly south. When they were about halfway, an alarm sounded from Danny's pocket that sounded familiar. His partner pulled out his cell phone and quitted the tone. He took the device from him and read: 'Sara alarm, danger to life Tripler'. "What's that?" He asked into his headset.  
"You know the Jerry alarm. He modified the app. The ohana was always there when something happened. And they want to be there when the first real Five-0 baby is born. Even if that was thought differently."  
Steve couldn't answer, he just nodded when Danny patted him on the shoulder. After landing, they were referred straight to the waiting area. He was just told that Dr. Takamoto and other colleagues took care of Sara.  
Again and again he urged, "When can I see her?"  
The head nurse folded her arms: "Commander, we're doing what we can to stabilize your wife and child. You have to wait. Use the time and take a shower. That could help. At the moment you are a walking health risk for your wife."  
Steve glanced down at himself. He was still wearing the protective vest, his T-shirt was soaked with sweat, all of his clothing was covered in plant debris and soil. Besides, the stench from the hut had settled in his belongings. With a snort he left the woman standing, turned and pulled his cell phone out of his pocket. "Jerry? Go to my desk. - Man, if I tell you to go to my desk, you do! You did before without being shy. Open the lower left drawer, take out a set of clothes and send Keahi over here. Right away! Understood? - Good." Without waiting for another answer, he hung up.

The PO showed up after less than ten minutes, which was a record-breaking time for the distance that could take twenty minutes in good traffic. He held out a bag of clothes for him. "Here. Jerry holds the fort at headquarters."  
"Thanks." He grabbed the package, stopped a nurse, and a few minutes later he had showered and changed in an unoccupied patient room.  
He felt as if the hands on the clock were stuck to the wall. Over the next one and a half endless hours, Kamekona, with Nahele in tow, Rachel with Grace and finally the rest of his team with Brian arrived. He took note of their report that Rebecca Cooper had been admitted and would shortly be transferred to the Big Island. But they got no message from Sara. Danny and Nahele sat to his left and right, shoulder to shoulder. There was hustle and bustle around them, but there was an eerie silence in the waiting area.

Pain. Everything hurt. Her whole body. Her head. She couldn't move. The smell, the sounds, the noise, around them. It felt familiar. She didn't have the strength to open her eyes, but she was sure it was a hospital. She wanted to move, but couldn't. Why was she here? Where was she? Where was Patrick? Her little brother who always wanted to protect her. He would help her. She didn't want to be here. Voices, strange voices. What did they want from her? There were hands. Why did they touch her? Couldn't they leave her alone?!

Suddenly Steve heard hurrying footsteps approaching. He raised his head. When he recognized Dr. Takamoto, he jumped up and ran towards him.  
"Commander, follow me!"  
"What's up? What about Sara?"  
"You need to help us. Your wife seems to be regaining consciousness, but she is likely to be completely disoriented. She becomes more and more restless, her blood pressure rises. If we can't calm her down, she'll collapse. We want to avoid giving her any other sedatives. Do you know who Patrick is? "  
"Her brother, why?"  
"She gave the name herself. Is he here?"  
"He's been dead ten years. You're probably right, she thinks she'd be in the aftermath of her accident."  
Takamoto stopped at a door. "Talk to her. Maybe she'll listen to you. Try to bring her into the here and now. She absolutely has to calm down."  
Steve pushed the doctor aside, opened the door and entered the room where several nurses and another doctor were trying to keep Sara on the bed. The monitors next to the bed beeped at high frequencies. His wife moved her head restlessly, one hand running searchingly over the thin sheet over her body. Her hair was lank and wet, they probably had tried flushing the blood out to find the wound on her head. "Hands off. Step back. And turn that off," he ordered, then went to the bed and put his hands on her cheeks. "Sara, calm down. You are safe. We want to help you. It's me, Steve." Her chapped lips moved soundlessly. "Sara, calm down. Here, feel it. This is our little package. You're in Hawaii, with me." He took her hand, placed it on her round belly and put his over it. Finally one of the nurses had silenced the devices. Steve glanced at the monitor, then at Takamoto, who nodded and waved his hand to keep going. "Try to calm down. Breathe slowly. I know a hospital is the last place on earth you want to be. But you and our baby need help. And that is only possible here. Try to open your eyes. Look at me." He watched her eyelids quiver. The sisters had cleaned Sara's face, but a little sand still stuck to her lashes. With a sharp look, he motioned for one of the nurses to give him one of the damp compresses from one of the instrument tables. He took his hand from Sara's cheek to gently wipe her eyes again. "Try again. You can do that, look at me." It was obvious how difficult it was for her, but finally she managed to force her eyes open a crack. "Hello. Look at me, I'm here, I'll take care of you."  
Her lips moved again, he read his name even if she couldn't utter a sound. "Yes, it's me, Steve." He was still holding hers on her stomach with one hand and stroking her cheek with the other. "Everything will be fine. Calm down."  
He spoke to her for another ten minutes, after all Sara was so calm that she snuggled into his hand and slowly fell asleep. She nodded when he said he would stay close, then he noticed by her steady breathing that she had fallen asleep. Takamoto waved all but one of the nurses outside, then signaled Steve to follow him. They went outside and a few meters further into a small room. In the hall he felt Danny's gaze on his back.  
"Commander ..."  
"Clear words, doctor, go."  
"She has a concussion, a laceration on the back of her head. Hence the blood. Presumably she was knocked down. The scar will stay with her, we could only clean and bandage the wound, sewing is no longer useful. There are abrasions and bruises all over the body. Her wrists look bad."  
"I know that, she was tied with a rope. Go on."  
"One of your men gave the paramedics two bottles for laboratory analysis." That was news to him, but Steve just nodded. "Laxative. It was highly concentrated in the water. My guess is that the kidnapper was trying to induce labor. This would probably have worked for a 'normal' pregnant woman, but your wife's pre-medication prevented it, so the kidnapper kept increasing the dose. Sara's electrolyte balance is outside of any laboratory parameter. Her stomach is absolutely empty, which also means that if she was given anything after the abduction, she didn't keep any food with her. Whoever gave the clue, Commander, you owe him a lot. Another six to eight hours and any help would have come too late. We did a CT scan, she has no bleeding in the brain, the seizure and impaired consciousness are due to the dehydration. Just like her kidney function, which is currently at its lowest limit. She is now getting fluids very slowly and is being monitored. Both she and the child have cardiac arrhythmias, for which she is given medication. She has a chance of getting through this without permanent injuries. With a little luck, her kidneys will recover completely. At the moment we cannot say whether the baby suffered permanent harm."


	55. Chapter 55

"Now what?" Asked Steve, who was having trouble digesting what the doctor was saying.  
"Waiting. Yeah, I know that sounds awkward after what you've just been through. But unfortunately I have to say it's not over yet. If we get the baby out now, Sara won't survive. With every hour we can wait, stabilize and nurture her, their both chances increase. We will try everything so she can gather enough strength. You should stay around in case she has another panic attack."  
"You don't seriously believe I will step foot out of this hospital in the next few hours?" He snapped at the doctor.  
He hurried to shake his head. "Of course not."  
"Well. I'll inform my people, then return to Sara."  
"I will give instructions that you will be allowed to stay with her and that you will be looked after."  
"Thank you."  
He took a deep breath, then walked down the hall to the waiting area. Danny and Nahele went to meet him, the others stood up when they saw him coming. Nobody said anything. He cleared his throat. "They are alive. Both. At the moment they are stable, but not out of danger." He briefly reported what the doctor had told him. "Which one of you gave them the bottles?"  
There was a short silence, then Junior stepped forward. "I thought it might help. The content looked funny and smelled funny."  
"Good idea. Thank you. Thanks for all of you here. But you don't have to wait here. I hope it will be a very, very long time for Jerry to set off the next Sara alarm. Some of you still have a lot of paperwork to go. Chin, please do me a favor: call Kawika. Tell him thank you. I will do this again personally. If all of this here ... "  
His friend understood. "Sure. I will. And I'll keep my fingers crossed for you. Very firm."  
"Thanks." He got a few hugs, Kamekona almost broke his bones, then his ohana said goodbye.  
Danny came up last. "If you need anything ... or Sara needs anything ... call. At any time."  
"Thank you."  
"Stop saying thank you. Sara is Five-0, just like you. And while I still think that word is stupid, she's ohana. She belongs to us. So we are there."  
His partner hugged him and slapped him on the back, then said goodbye.  
As he turned toward the hallway, Steve pulled his cell phone out of his pocket. He sent a message to Jerry. 'Reset the counter.' Then he started the stopwatch on his phone. It was Thursday, just after twelve. Almost exactly forty-eight hours had passed since Sara's abduction - and the waiting began again.  
After a few hours, Sara was transferred from the emergency room to another department. Every time he left Sara's room, be it to eat something, because the smell made her nauseous, or to stretch his legs a few steps, one of his friends or teammates sat in the waiting area. Chin and Brian had to leave, but the others took turns. The first night he found Lou with a book in one of the chairs, followed by Tani, later by Junior, on the second night it was Danny who was on watch. Sara slept most of the time, which the doctor attributed to her head injury and exhaustion, but waking moments became longer and more frequent. Late on Friday evening she opened her eyes again.  
"Hello. How are you feeling?" He leaned out of his chair so that he was close to her face.  
"Broken," she replied softly. "I'm glad that the package is doing well so far. And that the eternal cramps subside. But I hate this situation."  
He put his hand over hers, which was resting on her belly. "I know you hate hospitals."  
"That too. But that's not it. You should be chasing criminals, instead you're sitting here holding hands. You help the nurses to look after me. You sent Danny and Grace to the hotel to get my scar cream and you personally take care of my wounds. I can not get up. Don't do my exercises. God only knows when I'll be able to walk again. I am helpless like a baby. This situation is the last thing I ever wanted. A man by my side who has to look after me. Be a burden ... "  
"Take a short break. First, I'm not doing anything here that I don't want to do. Second, remember our marriage vows. This falls under illness and it will pass. Third, you have never been a burden and you are not now. It was clear from the start that you couldn't do everything, you never left me in the dark and I didn't buy a pig in a poke. And fourth: I know you and your iron will. You will run, sooner than everyone will think it's possible. I'm sorry, your dad and Patrick are no longer with us, and Liam and Zoe are a little too far away to help you, but that's what I'm here for. The man who loves you. Just in case you forgot."  
"I know that..."  
"Then don't worry your head. Get well. That's much more important." He carefully wiped a tear away from her cheek. "Everything will be fine. Try to sleep. I'm here." He leaned over and kissed her.

Only a small night light was on when Sara opened her eyes the next time. Steve was sitting in the chair next to the bed with his head on his hand and was sleeping. Whenever she opened her eyes, he was there. She tried not to make any movement or noise so as not to wake him. With only one finger she stroked her belly, in which her baby kicked around. In the meantime she also had a conversation with Dr. Takamoto who had explained what happened to her. The doctor had said the arrhythmia would subside and the little one would be fine. She hoped, more than anything, that he would be right. The infusions helped, she also felt better, apart from the fact that she could literally feel the muscles in her legs weak down. It would be a tough job getting back on her feet, literally.

On Saturday morning, Dr. Takamoto pulled Steve aside when he came back from a short walk. "Commander ..."  
"Is something wrong?", He asked worried and looked in the direction of Sara's room.  
"Not really. She is stable, her laboratory results, including her kidneys, are getting better. That's good news. However, we are running out of ideas about what to offer her to eat. She has to slowly start eating again. But on soup she vomits and she refuses to eat jelly."  
"She hates it."  
"She said that. But we have to find something that she can get in with. Starting with solid food directly is too risky. "  
"I might have an idea." He ran out into the waiting area where Jerry was reading. He jumped up when he saw him coming.  
"Everything okay?"  
"Yes. Do me a favor, go to Kamekona and get two servings of Haupia." His colleague looked at him as if he had gone mad. "Haupia?"  
"Exactly."  
"Okaaay," replied Jerry drawn out. He closed his book and went to the elevator. Half an hour later he was back with two plastic boxes, which Steve immediately brought to Sara.  
"Look, I've got something for you. Maybe that will help your appetite a little." He handed her one of the boxes and a spoon.  
"Where did you get that?"  
"Fresh from Kamekonas, Jerry was picking it up. Coconut milk is light but nutritious. Maybe that works. We have to feed you and the package with something."  
He watched as she looked at the dessert skeptically, but then opened the lid and carefully took a small bite. Bit by bit, she ate almost half of the piece, then handed the box back to him. "That's enough. I wont get in more. But it tastes good."  
"It's a good start. I just hope you can keep it."  
"I'll try hard."  
That day Steve ordered Haupia again from Kamekona and that evening Sara actually managed to eat some bread. Slowly they found hope.


	56. Chapter 56

It was a strange feeling and Steve hesitated briefly when he touched the door handle at the entrance to the headquarters. It had been two weeks since he had last been here, since the morning Kawika had called them and told them he knew where Sara was. They found her, they freed her, his team, his ohana. He still couldn't believe they'd all been there, even Chin had come to get her out of there. And everyone had waited with him ten days earlier for the relieving news that Sara and the baby were fine after the emergency surgery. His son. It had been touch-and-go for both of them, Sara almost bled to death. He swallowed, then pulled the glass door open and went inside. After a few meters he stopped when the door to Danny's office opened next to him. "Hey."  
"Hey, Danny."  
"What are you doing here? Do you miss us?"  
"No. Sara kicked me out. She wanted to have a little peace."  
His partner looked worried. "How is she? And how are you?"  
Steve shrugged. "How should she be? She discharged herself from the hospital on Monday, she said the surroundings would kill her. Takamoto wasn't thrilled, but after she agreed to come over every two days, he let her go. Ben made sure she was mobile again, the spare parts arrived just in time, and he made a night shift to put everything in place. According to Toyota, it was a defect that has occurred several times in cars from a certain construction period. Sara drives to PT every day and practices with Janice for hours, now she's on two canes. She carries the wheelchair around in the trunk, so as not to use it. And when she is not exercising, she sleeps most of the time because she is so exhausted."  
"She wants to get back on her own two feet as quickly as possible, in the truest sense of the word. But that's not what I meant."  
"I know that. I just can't tell you. She is too calm. I'm still waiting for the big bang."  
"Don't you think she should talk to a psychologist?"  
Steve struggled to suppress an ironic laugh. "And that from your mouth ... Seriously: You are welcome to suggest that to her. But then you should be prepared to gain another McGarrett-induced injury. From her, however. If you're unlucky, she'll pull one of her canes over your head."  
Danny raised his eyebrows. "That means you already tried it?"  
"No, Takamoto took the risk. Sara's answer is not fit to be quoted. She didn't want to talk about it, so I did a little digging. Apparently she got hold of a very special specimen of this genus after the accident and since then she has hated psychologists like the plague. I have no choice but to wait and keep my eyes open."  
"You're particularly good at that," Danny explained and cleared his throat.  
"What's new? Do we have a case?"  
"No. We're pretty bored right now. Last week there was a little argument between a couple of drug dealers, two of whom didn't survive, but we were able to sort that out quickly. We're even running out of paperwork. The governor asked for you. And I'm supposed to, when I see you, tell you from Rachel and Grace that if either of them can do anything for you, you should call."  
"Thanks, I really appreciate that. You don't have to live without your garage for long either, the construction workers are making progress, I was just at the house."  
"I'm glad to hear that." Danny patted him on the shoulder.  
"Then I'll take a quick look at my desk and then get in touch with the governor."

Sara dried herself off slowly and awkwardly in the bathroom of the suite at the Hilton. She had come back sweaty and terribly tired from two hours of training with Janice. Just that she had made it into her room on two legs. Janice had done rehabilitative training with her as far as the scar from the C-section allowed, then she had been on the treadmill. The physiotherapist had rebuilt the hanging structure that she used for relief until it no longer pressed on Sara's belly and caused pain. Every step was exhausting, but she knew that there was no other way. She had made it after the accident, and with just as much hard work she could do it again now. Steve was worried she was going to want too much too quickly, but he let her go. After breakfast she had sent him to the office, it was obvious that he felt locked in, even if he didn't say that out of consideration for her. And it was a better alternative than starting an argument. In the past few days she had received a lot of calls and emails from Grace, Kono, Rachel, her brother-in-law. Even Jerry, who usually never wrote e-mails, had send a message. She had answered Liam and simply ignored the others. They all meant well, but she had no energy for it. After pulling over a T-shirt, she grabbed her two sticks, pushed herself up and headed for the door. Eddie was lying on the floor in front of it, waiting. He looked up and wagged his tail as she stepped into the hall. "I'm sorry, my friend. But since you don't want to go with the hotel boy, you'll have to wait until your master is back. Or until I had a little time to rest. Come on, let's go to the balcony." With a sigh, after opening the parasol, she plopped down on the lounger. She took the book from the little table next to the couch, but could hardly read a page before her eyes closed.


	57. Chapter 57

Pointless, boring and unnecessary. That was Steve's conclusion when he returned from visiting the governor. His supervisor had once again requesting being told in full detail what Danny and his colleagues had already written in detail in their reports. Then she had expressed her sympathy just as long and broad. He was annoyed, he was worried. Even so, he had heroically resisted the temptation to call Sara or text her to not disturb her. In the hallway he emptied a water bottle in one go, then headed back to his office.  
"Steve. I was just going to call you."  
"Lou. Is there a new case?"  
Grover cleared his throat. "Eh, no. You have a visitor. Your mother."  
"What?" He took a quick look around the room where Danny was standing at the computer desk with his arms crossed and nodded in confirmation. Behind the glass of his office he saw a mop of blond hair. "You gotta be kidding me," he muttered, quickened his pace and stormed into his office.  
"Mom. How do I get the honor? "He asked ironically and let himself fall into his chair.  
"I wanted to check on you."  
"Ah. It's hardly, let me think, four years since we got you out of Morocco, and since then you haven't called or maybe sent a birthday card. So what made you do it now?"  
"I heard about the hurricane. I was on a mission for a very long time that I had to complete, so I could only come now."  
"The hurricane was almost four weeks ago. But thanks for asking, Sara and I didn't get hurt from the hurricane. The house fell victim to the dredging skills of Lane Mitchell's brother-in-law."  
"As I said, I couldn't leave earlier. I was at the house and saw the construction work. The men said I might reach you in the office. So I came here. Who is Sara?"  
Instead of answering, Steve took a picture frame from his desk and held it out to his mother. It was one of the photos from the beach, under the arch where he and Sara had said yes. "You're married?! I didn't expect that."  
"For a little over a year. I already knew Sara in Annapolis, we had lost sight of each other and met again two years ago. You couldn't be found, otherwise I would have invited you."  
"That sounds exciting. Tell me, please," she added when he just growled. After a deep sigh, he gave her a brief summary of what had happened up to the hurricane, but left out details of Sara's activities, only mentioning that she was in the Navy. "We are currently staying at the Hilton until we can move back into the house. Lane Mitchell's insurance pays," he finished his report. He held up to her scrutinizing gaze.  
"You love her, I can see that. But I also see that you have rings under your eyes and you look pretty worried. There's something else ... "  
"Mom ..."  
"Steve, I may not have been there for you for large parts of your life, but I am not blind. And I'm still your mother. What's happening?"  
"Sara was kidnapped by a mentally disturbed woman while in search of alternative accommodation. She thought she could get hold of our baby. It was extremely close, but we were able to free Sara just in time. She is slowly recovering, but ... " He was interrupted by a knock on the door, Danny poked his head inside. "Sorry, I hate to disturb the family reunion, but there is another visitor here. He said he was a little pressed for time." His partner pushed Josh Cooper through the door. Steve got up. "Josh. I didn't know you were still on the island."  
"My plane leaves tonight. I wanted to bring this to your wife before I leave, but I was told at the hospital that she had left." He was holding a bouquet of flowers and a small teddy bear.  
Steve cleared his throat. "I can give her the flowers. But you'd better bring the teddy bear to one of your nieces or nephews."  
"But..."  
"The funeral is next Saturday. After the birth, they both were reasonably well, but then our son's arrhythmia came back. It got worse and worse, until he had a cardiac arrest on Thursday night and could not be resuscitated." He heard his mother inhale sharply behind him, Josh Cooper was clearly struggling for words in front of him.  
"I'm so terribly sorry," he finally managed.  
"I know. Don't blame yourself. You tried everything to help us. That we will not use the apartment under these circumstances ... "  
"... goes without saying, Commander. If you want, I can make some calls ... "  
Steve put a hand on his arm. "Thanks, you don't have to. Our room in the hotel is not particularly quiet, but it is best suited to Sara's current needs. The construction work is going well, I guess we will be back in our own four walls in about two weeks. Good luck with your contract."  
"Thank you." Cooper gave him the flowers and took the teddy back with him when he left the office. His mother was up when he turned. "I'm sorry," she said softly. "Fate doesn't seem to like McGarrett's that much."  
"Neither the Andersons," Steve exclaimed.  
"Sorry?"  
"Nothing."  
"May I get to know Sara?"  
He thought for a moment, then nodded. "OK. But let me prepare her for you first. That you drop in on me is one thing, but ... "  
"Absolutely."  
Danny was still at the computer desk with Tani, so he didn't have to look far to log out, then he drove to the Hilton. His mother followed him in her rental car into the underground car park, the valet parking only cost him nerves, so he took care of it himself. In the handicapped parking spaces next to the entrance to the stairwell and elevators, he spotted Sara's car, in the trunk he recognized her wheelchair. Not a word was uttered in the elevator, it was only when they stepped into the hallway that Steve cleared his throat.  
"Sure, Sara is definitely not expecting a visit from her mother-in-law," Doris anticipated.  
"Mhmm." He opened the door and looked around. Then he noticed a draft and saw the open parasol on the balcony. "Wait here," he said and headed for the balcony door. Eddie was lying in the shade by the sun lounger. The retriever wagged its tail when it saw him. Steve's stomach tightened. Sara was curled up on her side under a thin sheet, her head on one of his T-shirts, and slept. She was incredibly thin in the face, dark rings were buried under her eyes. On the tiled floor was the book on Hawaiian traditions that Kono had given her first, with several colored annotations. The book had been in one of the boxes they'd stored before the hurricane, and Sara had stubbornly insisted that he go find it instead of getting a second copy. Danny finally found it in one of the boxes in his garage. He picked it up, he didn't have to look, it was about burial customs. She hadn't put it down in days. She had put all the energy she had into the organization. He got the impression that she was doing everything she could to avoid having to think. Steve sat on the edge of the couch and took Sara's hand.  
"Hello, honey," he said softly. She winced, then raised her head.


	58. Chapter 58

_It was warm, it was sunny. A light breeze was blowing from the Atlantic, but not so strong it would freeze. She had a book on her lap, but she wasn't reading, instead she watched Liam and Zoe splash around in the pool and splash each other wet. Her neighbor's son Jason had played along until a few minutes ago, but then his mother had called him to dinner. Liam would invite them to dinner that evening, Zoe had wanted pizza so she didn't have to cook. What a shame Patrick isn't here with us, she thought. Laughing, she returned the wave from her little niece, who stood on the edge of the pool and jumped into her father's arms. Suddenly someone touched her arm and she was startled._

It took a moment for Sara to get back to reality. She recognized Steve sitting next to her on the edge of the sun lounger. He held her hand and looked at her in concern.  
"What...? What time is it?"  
"Late afternoon. How are you?"  
She shook her head. "Next question: What are you doing here?"  
"I was in the office, I was with the governor. When I came back there was a surprising visitor. My mother is on the island." Steve looked at the balcony door, where a blonde woman was standing. He looked annoyed at the sight. "Mom," he growled.  
Sara ignored the woman, she pulled the sheet closer around her. "Can you take me to the bedroom, please?" She asked sharply. He looked her in the eye, examined her briefly and understood. "For sure."  
Her husband carefully slipped his arms under her, picked her up, and carried her and the sheets inside.

His mother stepped aside and said nothing. Eddie followed them after a moment, he had one of her canes in his mouth, which she had placed next to the bed. Steve was about to close the door when his mother held out the other cane. He took it and closed the door in her face. "I'm sorry Sara," he began when he turned to her. "I told her to wait outside, but patience was never her strength."  
"Neither following orders, as far as I understand. But when I first meet my mother-in-law, I want to at least be combed and reasonably dressed. Give me five minutes."  
"As long as it takes. Can you walk or should I ...? "  
"I'm fine. You know how much I like to be carried around, but there was no alternative right now. I don't need to stand half-naked in front of your mother. "  
He nodded. "Okay. I'll take care Eddie won't eat her, and then we'll wait for you." Steve came over to her and took her face between his hands. "I love you," he said softly, then kissed her. She returned the kiss, then waited for him to leave the room before wrapping herself out of the sheet. It was obvious that Steve was blaming his mother while she was changing, untangling her hair, and tying a braid. Eventually she felt civilized enough that she felt she could face Doris McGarrett. She left the bedroom, leaning on her canes. Steve and his mother stood between the couches arguing. Eddie ran to meet her. Sara stopped briefly to scratch his head, then sent him to his basket and walked on. "Interesting show, I have to admit. Now I know where Steve got his stubborn head. "The two broke off and looked at her. "I'm Sara." She held out her hand to Doris.  
"Doris. His mother. Um, do you want ... Do you want to sit down? "  
"Yes, please." Unasked, Steve grabbed her under the arms and helped her onto the sofa. Then he got a water bottle and glasses.  
"Sorry for dropping in on you like this. Steve told me a few things earlier, but by no means all. I'm sorry about the baby."  
"Mhm." Steve sat down next to her and put his arm around her. She leaned against him, the proximity felt just good for her. But she also had moments when she couldn't bear to be touched. He accepted what she was grateful for.  
"The funeral service is next week?"  
"Yes. On Saturday at church, on Sunday at the beach. We will bury him in the sea. Most of our friends paddle out with the boards, Sara is not allowed to go back into the water yet. Kawika will be rowing," Steve explained. "Everything is prepared so far."  
"Until then I will continue working on my condition. I don't want to go to church in a wheelchair and that's not possible on the beach anyway."  
"You..."  
After a sideways glance at Steve, who briefly shook his head, she briefly reported on the accident and its consequences. "It doesn't obstruct me much in everyday life, because I've been lying down for so long now, I have to build up my muscles again. But I don't need pity and I don't want any," she added when she recognized the expression on Doris' face.  
"Excuse me. When one first hears your story, it's hard not to get feelings like that." Her regret seemed genuine.  
"As long as you keep them to yourself. How long will you stay on the island? And where?"  
"I checked into the Holiday Inn Express when I saw the damage to the house. I don't know how long I'll stay yet. If I can help you or you need me, maybe longer."  
Sara didn't know what to say right now. Steve correctly interpreted her hesitation. "Mom, the offer is nice. We are doomed to wait on all fronts right now. What I hate as you know. Sara is training, I've started working again ... "  
"I understand. Sara, if that's okay with you, I'd like to get to know you better. And maybe I could tell you a few stories from his younger years that Steve hides because he is embarrassed," Steve's mother tried to loosen up the situation. She was deprived of an answer because there was a knock. Eddie jumped up and ran to the door. Her husband gave her a questioning look, she shook her head, then he went to the room door. "Who's there?"  
"NCIS."  
"Have they announced themselves?" He asked in their direction.  
"No."  
Steve opened and stood in the entrance area. "Can you identify yourself?" She watched the man and woman pull out their ID cards. She took a closer look, she recognized the man, she had already worked with him. "Steve, it's fine. I know them."  
"For sure?"  
She pushed herself up in the cushions so that she was sitting straighter. "Yes." Then she looked at Doris. "Leave me your phone number, there is a notepad. I'll call you."  
Steve's mother understood the sacking. She wrote a sequence of numbers on the paper, then stood up and held out her hand. "It was nice meeting you. I would be happy if you call."  
"Okay." Doris said goodbye to her son, then left the room. The two agents came closer. Steve stood next to her with his arms crossed.  
"Commander, I'm Agent Long, you should know Agent Adriano," the woman introduced herself and her partner.  
"I remember him. Perhaps could you sit down while you explain why you are here? That would be less exhausting for me."  
The agent nodded. "For sure. Here? "She pointed to the sofa across from Sara.  
"Yes." There was a beep on the balcony as the visitors sat down. Steve went outside without a word, got Sara's cell phone and came back shortly afterwards with the phone and a glass of Sara's mineral drink. Dr Takamoto had insisted on she'd keep taking it, albeit for different reasons now. "Thank you," she said softly as he handed her the glass and then sat down next to her again.  
"I suppose you got the information Sara is here from Doctor Takamoto."  
"That's right, Commander. He also said you should decide for yourself whether you feel able to talk to us, Commander."  
Sara put the glass down and groaned. "This is ridiculous. My husband's name is Steve, my name is Sara. I can't add much useful information to your investigation, and since I know how Five-0 works, I assume that you already have several reports."  
"We have," confirmed Agent Adriano. "We also want to bother you as little as possible, especially in this difficult time for you. However, it is also important not to wait forever while the memories are still fresh."  
She could feel herself starting to shake, but she couldn't help it. Steve noticed it too, he put his arm around her and pulled her close.  
"Do you think I could ever forget that? With every movement that I make, every look in the mirror, every look from someone who sees me ...?!" Her voice almost cracked and she hated it.  
"No. Excuse me, Sara, that's not what I mean," Long tried to appease. "When you've made your statement, you can cross us off your list of open items and take care of your recovery process."  
Adriano cleared his throat. "Sara, I know that it must be very difficult for someone with your analytical and memory skills to leave things behind …"  
"Could you stop the talk? You both have no idea," she snapped at him. "You have no idea what it is like to live with my mind and memory. I rang the doorbell and went into the house. This woman was standing in the elevator when I got on at the first floor. She stared at me. I thought she was strange because she didn't look at my face, just my belly. But I didn't think she'd be dangerous, so I would have called Officer Reigns and ordered him upstairs to show me out. When I left the elevator was empty. When I got out and wanted to go around the corner to the front door, I was hit on the back of the head. My next memory is a dirty gray wooden wall. I got weird tasting water to drink, puked and lay half-naked in my own waste. The whole time I couldn't move and kept listening into myself to see if my baby was giving me signs of life. Or this woman patted me, probably in the hope that she would feel movement. The rest is in your reports. I can't say more about it and I won't say more about it. And now I would like you to go."  
Adriano opened his mouth, but this time it was his partner who silenced him with a nudge in the ribs. She got up.  
"Thank you, Sara, for your time. Get well soon. And our condolences. We'll find out on our own," Agent Long explained, nodded to them and pushed her partner to the door in front of him.  
When they were alone, Steve took her in his arms and rubbed her back. She was still shaking, but she couldn't find tears. Eddie put his head on her lap.  
Steve slowly ran a hand over her back. "All right, I'm here. Take a deep breath ... Very slowly," he said softly to her. Her heart beat up in her throat, but with the calm her husband exuded, Sara slowly managed to calm down. She felt completely drained. "Are you okay?" Steve asked after a while.  
"I think so. You should go for a walk with Eddie. It probably won't be long before he's doing his business here. I couldn't get out with him earlier."  
"Can I leave you alone?"  
"Mhm." When he got up, she curled up on the sofa. He took the thin blanket that lay on the chair and spread it over her. "Take a rest. If something happens, call, your cell phone is on the table." They kissed and he gently stroked her cheek. Then he whistled for Eddie and set off.


	59. Chapter 59

Sara rolled her car into the parking lot next to Kamekona's food truck and turned off the engine. After breakfast she had spoken to Doris on the phone and arranged to meet her for lunch before she went to her daily physiotherapy. It was shortly before twelve, there were already a few cars here. She had deliberately placed herself on the edge, so there was a slight chance that she wasn't completely blocked afterwards. No sooner had she opened the door and put her first foot on the floor when Nahele stood in front of her as if out of nowhere. "Hey, Sara. May I help you?"  
"Wait a minute." She pulled her bag and canes from the passenger seat. "Take these, please." He took everything and took a step back so that she could slowly get out. "Thank you."  
"No problem. Nice to see you. How are you?" He asked. He handed the canes back to her and hugged her.  
"Don't ask, but what the heck. Do you still have a place for me and a guest?"  
"Your guest is already here and we have reserved a table for you. What would you like to eat? Your garlic special?" He led her to a table on the edge, where Doris was already sitting with a drink. There was even a parasol set up.  
"Is this new or is it just for me?"  
"VIP service, little Sista!" Called Kamekona, who came towards her.  
"Please don't knock me over," Sara asked quickly as he spread his arms, but he hugged her with a caution that was surprising given his physique. "Absolutely not. We take good care of you. What would you like to eat?"  
After he let go of her, she ordered: "Your butter shrimp, please. No garlic today. My stomach isn't ready for that yet."  
"All right. And an iced tea with it. And I made very fresh Haupia, this morning." He was still proud that it had been the first thing she had eaten and kept in the hospital. They had just barely stopped him from advertising it.  
"Thank you. Maybe later. Just the shrimp for now."  
"That's okay. And if you need something, just holler."  
She smiled at him, then sat down on the bench while he went back into the food truck. "Hello, Doris."  
"Hi Sara. You have already fully arrived in the ohana, as I can see."  
"They accepted me very quickly, both with Five-0 and with the rest of Steve's friends on the island. Even if, contrary to Kawika's assumption, I still haven't found a Hawaiian in my family tree."  
"Did he say that?" Doris looked surprised.  
"Mhm." Sara sipped the iced tea that Nahele put in front of her. "Thank you."  
"Shrimps are coming soon", he announced, then he continued with the tray.  
"How are you today?"  
"As good or bad as yesterday. Just less tired at the moment because I haven't seen my therapist yet. Have you arrived safely on the island?"  
Doris nodded. "The climate is more pleasant than where I last stayed. And it's nice to be home again. "  
"I know that feeling. When you travel a lot for the job ... "  
"Steve said, you were in the Navy."  
Sara waited a moment to answer, because Kamekona himself was serving two plates of butter shrimp. When he went on, she looked at Doris more closely, because she had heard something from her last sentence. She held her gaze. She ate a bite, then replied, "Interesting poker face. Let me reconstruct your last night: You left our suite, then you drove to your hotel. You made a few calls, maybe checked your notebook and got some information about your new daughter-in-law. Steve has always kept a low profile about your 'work for the government', but if I get it right, you don't necessarily work as a secretary, you have some access. That means you now know where I come from and probably, at least roughly, also what I spend my days with, apart from part-time in the HR department. I'm right, right?"  
She continued to eat while Doris was evidently considering an answer. Finally, she said quietly, "Anyway, I think the mother and her two little boys are very happy to have their dad back."  
That confirmed Sara's suspicion. They ate in silence for a while, until Kamekona passed them again. "Well, ladies, do you like it? Is made with a lot of love."  
"Thanks, it's really, really good," Sara replied.  
"You eat like a bird. Do you really like it?"  
"Yes. I just have to go a little slower. Will you do me a favor?"  
"Yes, of course, always", Kamekona nodded and put his hand on her shoulder.  
"Save a portion of Haupia, I'll pick it up later on the way back after therapy. Then I can reward myself a little."  
He smiled broadly. "There is nothing better. I'll go and put something aside for you."  
"Thank you."  
As he went on, Doris asked: "Does Steve know what you're doing?"  
"He knows about as much about my Navy job as I do about his."  
"That says everything and nothing."  
"It will have to be enough for you. It's enough for him too."  
"Okay," Doris finally replied drawn out and nodded. "Okay. That is something you two have to figure out between you."  
"Don't worry, we will. And it would be nice, even if you are currently on the island, if you would stay out of it. We're both pretty grown up, we can do that. You don't have to protest, Steve told me a lot after he noticed shortly after his marriage proposal that he hadn't even told me you were alive. And no, I don't intend to discuss your story here and now. I lack the energy - and the will."  
"Okay. You said there will be two funerals, one in the church and the funeral on the beach. Unusual. Does that have something to do with your roots in Columbia?"  
"A little. I wasn't raised to be a believer, but I feel like this is the way to go. My intuition has served me well many times, and Steve thinks it's okay too. I am also a little concerned about respect for the customs of this island. But above all it feels right to me."  
Doris nodded. "Then do it like this. Can I be there? I noticed that there isn't much left of your family."  
"My brother-in-law and niece are coming from New Jersey. And I can do without what remains. You can decide whether you want to paddle out with us or wait on the beach with Kamekona and a few others. On the Saturday after church there is a snack at Dannys. Then on Sunday on the beach. Nothing big." Sara checked the clock on her cell phone.  
"You probably have to go. If there's anything else I can help Steve and you with, just let me know. I'll take it easy for the next few days. Just call."  
"Thank you. Yes, my physiotherapist is waiting."  
As if he had suspected that she was going to leave, Nahele reappeared. "Are you getting along?"  
"Yes, just damn it slowly." Under his watchful eyes and the observation of Doris, she worked her way up and out of the picnic bench. "You see, I'm standing on both of my feet. Ah, no!" She cursed.  
"What's going on?"  
"I put my car on the edge so that nobody can park next to my door. Now check this out! How can one be so stupid and blind? The car is clearly marked with the handicap sign, right? I mean, I hate to use that thing, but right now there is no other way." She pointed to a blue SUV standing across the hood of the Prius and was robbing her of any chance of driving away. "How in God's name am I supposed to get out of there and to my appointment? With a crane? Or should I call Duke, it'll take forever!"  
In the meantime, Kamekona had also noticed her. "Little Sista, what's wrong?"  
"Look", Nahele pointed towards the parking lot. His boss looked at Sara's car. "Somebody needs glasses. Wait a minute." He cleared his throat, then raised his voice. "People, listen up!" Some heads at the tables turned to him. "Who owns the blue SUV that is standing over there? The owner has thirty seconds to report or my boys will push it away. And we are not squeamish!"  
It took a moment, then a man in his early thirties answered who was sitting at one of the other tables with his companion and sipping a glass of coconut water. Kamekona went to him. "Buddy, I don't know where you got your driver's license. But you absolutely need to have your eyes examined. There's a car there. There are signs on them. They say that you have to keep space free for this car. And you and your girl here, you each have two healthy feet, you can park somewhere else and walk the few meters. So now you swing your bum and drive your car away. Otherwise we will help."  
He glared at the man, who looked from him to Sara, then obviously realized that it would be a good idea to get up and drive the SUV away. Kamekona waited with crossed arms until the man was at his car, then came back to her table.  
"Thank you, Kamekona. To be so fucking helpless is driving me crazy. If it weren't for my bad legs, I would have given the idiot a sermon myself. Maybe I would have held either my ID card or my weapon under his nose."  
Nahele put her hand on her arm. "You will be back, Sara, for sure. Have a look at what you've done in less than two weeks. You will be dancing again by Labor Day weekend at the latest, definitely."  
"Thank you for your trust, Nahele. But I can only do that if I go to PT now. Thanks for your help."  
The man had parked his SUV and so she could go.


End file.
